Provincial experts are monitoring a significant log jam located in a creek north of Kootenay Lake that is considered a potential threat to 12 properties.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay announced Aug. 22 that the log jam at Hamill Creek was discovered during aerial assessments of the area impacted by this summer's wildfires.
There are log jams elsewhere in the region, but the Hamill Creek jam is notable for its size and proximity to settlements. Owners of the properties have been notified, but no evacuation alert has been ordered.
Dan Séguin, the RDCK's manager of community sustainability and director of its Emergency Operations Centre, said the jam appears to predate this year's fires, but more logs have been added since.
“If it did release, then there would be some debris that would come down alongside water in a higher volume than the creek would normally be receiving down at that level. So it is an increased risk, and we've let those property owners know. And the other thing is that log jam may never move. We don't know how long it's been there for, and we don't know whether or not it will ever release.”
Séguin said there's also little at the moment that can be done. The jam is located in a part of the creek surrounded by thick forest and cliffs, which makes it difficult to access by ground crews.
“In other log jams that I've been part of when it's accessible, there can be machine work that's done to remove trees. From my understanding in that specific location that kind of approach isn't possible.”
It's also not clear how the jam has accumulated so much debris. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests told the Nelson Star that it doesn't know if the jam was created by naturally fallen trees or by logging operations.
For now the area is being monitored by air. The forestry ministry said it has also alerted flood assessors and will work with the RDCK to determine next steps.
Séguin said property owners potentially impacted by the log jam are receiving updated information as it becomes available.
“At this stage we have to take it one step at a time.”
