Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine

The River Forecast Centre has issued a Flood Watch for:

• Inland areas including Kitimat, Terrace and surrounding areas
• North Coast including tributaries along the outer coast 

A Flood Watch means that river levels are rising and will approach or may exceed bankfull.  

What's happening:

An atmospheric river is impacting the North and Central Coast of BC. Moderate to very heavy rainfall is possible. Localized high flows are expected due to heavy rainfall rates and rain-on-snow melt runoff throughout the region.

Rivers are expected to rise today, with peak levels on Wednesday and into Thursday. High-end scenarios for current weather forecasts are indicating the potential for flooding on smaller watersheds, with key hazards including swift water, overbank flow, river erosion, washouts and landslides. 

What you can do:

Stay safe in and around rivers through the region. Be prepared for challenging driving conditions and potential road washouts and check local conditions on DriveBC.ca. Never drive through flood waters or across road washouts.

We will provide updates as they become available, or you can visit the River Forecast Centre website for the most recent updates.

Update: 26 January 2026 - CANCELLED

From the State of Local Emergency (SOLE) order issued January 15, 2026:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, pursuant to Section 95(1) of the Emergency and Disaster Management Act that a state of local emergency exists within Electoral Area “B” due to the Ice Jam and Flooding and risks to persons or property.

View the full SOLE order here.

Update: 30 January 2026, 15:00

The RDKS has not been made aware of any changes to this situation.

If local residents have any urgent concerns or notice a change in observed conditions, they are encouraged to report them by calling the Emergency Coordination Centre at 1-800-663-3456.

The RDKS has issued an evacuation alert due to the potential danger to life and health that may arise from the Kispiox River ice jam and flooding for:

2240 Poplar Park Road

4917 Kispiox Valley Road

Cassiar Land District Lot 2281

4637 Kispiox Valley Road

This evacuation alert is issued to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should an evacuation order be issued.

Residents will be given as much advance notice as is possible before an evacuation is ordered; however, you may receive limited notice due to changing or unexpected conditions.

View the full Evacuation Alert here.

Update: 23 January 2026, 14:00

The Evacuation Order has now been rescinded. Residents affected by the Order are now permitted to return to the area.

View the full Rescind notice here.

Update: 21 January 2026, 17:00

Emergency officials will be surveying the Kispiox area from the air tomorrow to further assess the ice jam. The evacuation notice is still in affect.

Update: 17 January 2026, 11:00

This situation continues to be monitored; conditions are currently stable. The evacuation notice is still in effect and will be reassessed on Monday, 19 January.

An evacuation order has been issued for flooding due to an ice jam in the Kispiox River for the following area(s):

2240 Poplar Park Road

4917 Kispiox Valley Road

Cassiar Land District Lot 2281

4637 Kispiox Valley Road

View the full evacuation order here. 

Full size map can be viewed here.

Updates will be provided as they become available. 

Update: 21 January 2026, 17:00

Emergency officials will be surveying the Kispiox area from the air tomorrow to further assess the ice jam. The hazard notice is still in affect.

Update: 17 January 2026, 11:00

This situation continues to be monitored; conditions are currently stable. The hazard notice is still in effect.

People in the area are advised to exercise caution and be prepared for changing conditions. Monitoring of the situation will continue and updates will be provided.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

• Avoid riverbanks and streams in the Kispiox River area, as unpredictable water levels increase the risk of dangerous conditions.
• Relocate any recreational vehicles, equipment, or property from flood-prone areas to higher ground immediately.
• Stay informed by regularly checking this page.
• Monitor weather forecasts for changing conditions through Environment and Climate Change Canada.

View the Hazard Notice here.