Hwy 1 through Fraser Canyon open again following rockfall
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An approximately 60-kilometre stretch of Highway 1 in southwestern B.C. has opened again following closures due to the threat of wildfire and then rainfall.
The section of highway in the Fraser Canyon between Boston Bar and Lytton was closed Aug. 17 when the Kookipi Creek wildfire jumped the roadway.
A few hours after it reopened Tuesday morning, an update from DriveBC said the stretch would be closed from 8:30 p.m. PT Tuesday until at least 6 a.m. PT Wednesday due to anticipated rainfall and the associated risk of debris flow on the road.
Early Wednesday, DriveBC said there had been a rockfall on the highway, which has since been cleared. All lanes were opened around 8 a.m. PT.
A statement from the ministry on Tuesday had warned lanes or the entire highway could be closed again at any time depending on conditions.
Announcing the highway's reopening, the ministry said its contractors had completed removing dangerous trees and loose rocks from the bluffs above the highway.
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It warned that drivers taking the route should still prepare for "lengthy delays" by carrying plenty of water and food and ensuring their fuel tanks are full.
"Drivers are reminded to obey posted speed limits and use caution around roadside workers. There is no stopping along the route outside of traffic queues, and if heavy smoke is present, please travel with headlights on," a statement said.
The Kookipi Creek blaze is burning over almost 170 square kilometres around 140 kilometres northeast of Vancouver and is still deemed a fire of note, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
Alternative routes between the Lower Mainland and the Interior include highways 3, 5, and 99.
Thumbnail courtesy of B.C. Wildfire Service.
This article was originally published for CBC News.
