HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Event type: Rockfall.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: The Vancouver Sun, February 23, 1937.
Late on February 22, a rock “about the size of a boxcar” caused a slide on the PGE line 7 mi. (11.2 km) south
of Quesnel. Passengers were transferred around the slide, causing a six-hour delay. It was hoped to have the slide
cleared on February 23.
Late June-early July 1937
Event type: Spring runoff flooding?
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: Nechako Chronicle, July 3, 1937; The Prince George Citizen, July 8, 1937.
At the end of June, rivers and lakes overflowed their banks and flooded low-lying areas in the Vanderhoof
district. Floodwaters covered highways in many places. It was described as “one of the most serious floods taken place
in this district for many years.” Floodwaters threatened business premises along 1 st Street and Fraser Avenue along the
south side of the railway tracks. The road between Vanderhoof-Prince George was flooded, halting traffic. The only
way in and out of town was via the old West road.
Around July 7 (?), flood levels remained stationary. The ferryman at Fort Fraser, who had resided there for a
quarter of a century, stated the water was within a few inches of “the greatest height he has known.”
January 20-26, 1938
Event type: Non-fatal snow avalanche.
Precipitation: Aiyansh (35.3 mm/1 day), January 20, 1938; Stewart (209.2 mm/7 days), January 20-26, 1938; Namu
(85.1 mm/1 day), January 21, 1938; Namu (78.0 mm/1 day), January 24, 1938; Falls River (174.8 mm/2 days), January
24-25, 1938.
Source: The Stewart News and Northern B.C. Miner, January 28, 1938.
Near Stewart, snow was reported falling at about an inch (2.5 cm) an hour for several days. The snowfall
totaled 6 ft. (1.8 m) in all, on top of the snow that was already on the ground. On January 26, the road between Stewart
and the Crawford Co. dock was blocked by snow. Heavy snow sloughed off the upper side of the road, causing delays.
Heavy slides came down on the road between Stewart-Hyder, Alaska.
On January 26, the government put a crew of men to work with shovels to clear the road. The 1.5-mi. (2.4
km) section of road between Eleven Mile and the Red Bridge, cut out of the steep mountainside, was completely filled
in with snow. Many of the gullies disgorged heavy slides. At a point 0.5 mi. (800 m) on the Premier side of the Red
Bridge, the V-plow driven by Jack Brooks was hit by a slide and completely buried. Fortunately a roof protected those
on the plow, and Brooks managed to back the plow out.
February 16-18, 1939
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Prince Rupert (129.6 mm/2 days), February 16-17, 1939; Swanson Bay (186.2 mm/2 days), February 16-
17, 1939; Falls River (164.3 mm/2 days), February 16-17, 1939; Smithers (58.4 mm/2 days), February 17-18, 1939;
Namu (55.4 mm/1 day), February 19, 1939.
Source: The Daily News, February 17 and 18, 1939; The Interior News, February 22, 1939.
Heavy rain occurred in Prince Rupert and heavy wet snow in the lower Skeena area and west of Terrace. In
a 24-hour period, 22 in. (55.9 cm) of snow was reported between Kwinitsa-Salvus. Downed telegraph lines cut the
communications. On the afternoon of February 17, an engine and snowplow derailed. Just west of the derailment site
was a snowslide 40 ft. (12 m) long and 15 ft. (4.5 m) deep. On February 18, snowslides were reported 5 mi. (8 km)
east of Kwinitsa, interrupting the train traffic.
Smithers experienced the “heaviest snowstorm in 15 to 20 years.” The government experimental farm
recorded 15 in. (38.1 cm) of snow. At other points close to Smithers, as much as 20 in. (50.8 cm) of snow fell.
Near Juneau, Alaska, a snowslide measuring a length of 150 ft. (45 m) and a depth of 12 ft. (3.6 m) came
down on Thane Road on February 16. It took two days to remove the slide.
March 25, 1939
Event type: Ice jam flooding.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: The Vancouver Sun, March 25, 27, 28 and 29, 1939; The Prince George Citizen, March 30, 1939.
At the end of March, extreme mild weather throughout the central Interior caused a sudden breakup. The
Fraser River opened up about 10 days earlier than usual. Warm temperatures and heavy rain in the mountains caused
river ice to break up and ice jams to form. Quesnel recorded temperatures ranging above 60 o F (15.6 o C). High water
conditions prevailed due to ice jams. Some loss of mining equipment was reported.
Early on March 25 following several days of rain and chinook winds, ice jams caused the Murray River to
suddenly overflow its banks at East Pine, 27 mi. (43.2 km) west of Dawson Creek. Residents of the flooded area were
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