Town of Peace River, Alta. cancels evacuation alert as flood threat recedes

The town of Peace River has cancelled the evacuation alert issued Thursday due to the threat of a flash flood caused by ice jams on the Peace, Heart and Smoky rivers.

In an update online Friday morning, the town said water flows in the Heart River, which runs through the community, have decreased.

While the town said there is no longer an imminent risk of flooding, there is still a risk of ice jams forming within the boundaries of the town and residents of the community are being advised to be prepared for changing conditions.

An Alberta Emergency Alert was issued for the town shortly before 5 p.m. on Thursday, telling residents in the downtown area, between the Highway 2 Bridge and 104 Avenue in the south end of the town, to be ready to evacuate “on very short notice.”

Residents of the area were advised to fuel their vehicles, gather important documents, medication, pets, food and water and be prepared to be away from home for at least three days if an evacuation order was issued.

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The town also issued a state of emergency to give officials additional authority to act quickly and take necessary measures to protect residents, property and critical infrastructure.

While the alert has been cancelled, residents are still being advised to stay away from rivers in the area because ice conditions are unstable, can change quickly and are very dangerous.

Residents are also being advised to continue to monitor the town’s website and social media channels for future updates.

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