Old Fort landslide remains active as road closure continues

Old Fort Road remains closed while officials continue to monitor an active landslide that has destroyed sections of the only road in and out of the Old Fort community.

The Old Fort landslide remains active and unstable as of May 2, with officials saying there is still no safe road access to or from the community.

The roadway has shifted more than 100 metres downhill since the movement began on April 19, according to DriveBC, with nearly 150 metres of the slide seeing active movement while the overall slide is around 400 metres wide.

The road will stay closed as the Ministry of Transportation and Transit continues to monitor the slide area and assess conditions, and Officials say reconstruction cannot begin until the ground movement stops. Near the top of the slide new ground cracking has been observed by officials, while slide material has begun to gather uphill of the road.

The road is the only access route into Old Fort, and sections of it have been destroyed or displaced by the ongoing ground movement which residents say can be heard around the clock.

The Peace River Regional District said an Evacuation Order will remain in place for properties east of, but not including 7711 Old Fort Road according to the PRRD website.

The slide area has caused major issues before, including in 2018 and again in 2020. The province previously reported the 2018 slide cut off the only road out of Old Fort, a community of about 150 residents near Fort St. John.

Residents who remain in the area are being told to stay well clear of the slide, and vehicles near the slide are at risk as ground movement continues and the area could expand.

There is no timeline yet for when Old Fort Road may reopen, and Emergency Support Services remain available for evacuated residents which will continue until the evacuation order is lifted.You can find more current information and updates on the PRRD and DriveBC websites.