Hwy 3 between Hope and Princeton closed at 2 p.m. today (Nov. 27) ahead of atmospheric rivers that are expected to bring more heavy rain to the south coast and southwest interior regions.
The highway was closed for most of Friday due to an accident involving at least one semi-truck and another vehicle which both reportedly caught fire.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is proactively closing highways previously impacted between the Lower Mainland and Interior on Saturday afternoon.
“The highway infrastructure in these areas is extremely vulnerable following recent storm events. More heavy rain in the forecast poses an additional risk,” said the Ministry which is also closing sections of Hwy 1 in the Fraser Canyon and between Popkum and Hope in the Fraser Valley.
In addition to weather concerns, the closure of Hwy 1 between Popkum and Hope is necessary due to reservoir releases by BC Hydro, crucial to protect the Jones Lake Reservoir, which is also being impacted by the heavy rain events.
Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet closed at 4 p.m. today.
“The highway infrastructure in these areas is extremely vulnerable following recent storm events. More heavy rain in the forecast poses an additional risk,” the transport ministry said.
The duration of closures will depend on the weather and the closures of these three highways will be re-evaluated on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, Hwy 3 was closed from about 7 a.m. until late Friday night after a multi-vehicle accident closed both directions.
DriveBC reported the highway was closed in both directions between Burr Road and Wrights Road, five kilometres west of the Similkameen community. Social media users posted reports of a semi-truck on fire.
The semi-truck was said to be in the ditch on fire while another vehicle was in the adjacent ditch, also on fire.
