Terrace RCMP Inspector Dave Fenson appeared before Terrace City Council Monday to report on the severity of the rock and mudslide that occurred earlier, at approximately 8:30 AM, Monday. The site was inspected by helicopter and Inspector Fenson used a full screen display to demonstrate to the sitting members just what the Highway crews and citizens are facing. Estimating the size of this slide varies depending who you talk to however the severity is demonstrated by the pictures. Fenson also addressed the concerns of the potential of anyone having been caught in the slide as had happened before at close to the same area.

“There’s no way of telling definitively,” stated Fenson, “ we saw no skid marks, we’re very hopeful”.

Fenson spoke about the only other route out of this Northwest Corner of the Province, the Cranberry Connector through the Nass Valley that joins up to Highway 37 North of Kitwanga.

“This is about a four hour drive to Kitwanga.” He described, “It is an active logging road (and traveling on this route is) not recommended.”

“This is the second time we have experienced a slide in that area,” asked Terrace Councillor Lynn Christiansen , “How stable is it now?”

“I’m not sure, it is still moving”, replied Fenson, “The GeoTechs are in now to examine that.”

Acting Mayor, Marylin Davies, asked about the location of the slide and just how close it was to the location of the last slide in the same region. Fire Chief Peter Weeber described that it was within approximately one kilometer. Davies then expressed the concerns that the City has been raising for many years about needing to have the only other route around this area, the Cranberry Connector, rebuilt and prepared for regular traffic as an necessary alternative and not just for sightseeing.

“My husband and I recently drove the Cranberry Connector,” added Councillor Carol Leclerc, “and we couldn’t travel faster than 50 kilometers per hour and then (at times) had to slow to a crawl. We left at 3:00 and made it through by 6:30, it was a three and a half hour trip.”

The concern today, expressed by Highways Minister Don Ramsey, is the weather front that is approaching. The slide is still soft, and fresh, so the wet weather will only make the situation that much more hazardous. Ramsey stated that the first priority is the safety of the crews. One of the other concerns is where to put all the material. This section of the highway is right next to the Skeena River and there is no close location to put it. Hauling the material any distance will increase the time it will take to clean up the site.