For residents of Trail, B.C., the Victoria Street Bridge is more than just a structure – it’s a vital link connecting the east and west sides of the city. Spanning the Columbia River, the bridge is essential for residents, local businesses and emergency response.
In November, authorities reviewed emergency protocols for a potential closure of the Highway 3B bridge, the sole downtown route for vehicles crossing the river in Trail.
The recent simulation was in response to a fire that broke out on Aug. 6 under the Victoria Street Bridge, originating from an encampment on the west side.
“The pictures looked impressive and scary,” says Emergency Program Coordinator Manager Mark Stephens. “But from the responders’ perspective, the situation was effectively managed behind the scenes.”
No one was injured, and the bridge itself did not sustain structural damage, according to Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue Chief Dan Derby. He was the incident commander on site, who quickly coordinated the bridge's one-hour closure, and later worked with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to reopen the bridge once it was deemed safe.
Even short-term closures, however, highlight the vulnerabilities of rural B.C. communities, according to Trail Mayor Colleen Jones.
“The fire was a wake-up call for safety responders,” she says. “With increasing risks from extreme weather and other emergencies, it’s more important than ever to be prepared.”
B.C. cities face challenges with aging infrastructure and limited crossing options
Across British Columbia, several municipalities depend on a single bridge to connect key areas. Communities like Nelson, Golden and Fernie all rely on one main bridge for their local transportation networks. In larger centres like Kelowna, the William R. Bennett Bridge (Highway 97) serves as a critical connector for residents and emergency responders alike, where closures – whether due to natural disasters or accidents – can create significant traffic bottlenecks.
The Bruhn Bridge on Highway 1 in Sicamous has been a point of concern for many years, and the adequacy of the 60-year-old bridge was questioned following a tragic accident that occurred on Aug. 24, when a semi-truck lost control, crashing through the guardrails and plunging into the water below.
“Safety is a major concern,” says Sicamous Mayor Colleen Anderson. “We’re opening a new four-lane bridge to replace it, but construction will take time and cause significant disruption. It’s a challenge, but we know the new bridge will provide safer access for everyone. It’s short-term pain for long-term gain.”
Historical bridge replaced by modern skywalk
Trail became a one-bridge town after the Old Bridge, built in 1912, was deemed structurally unsound and decommissioned in 2010. With no feasible way to repair or replace it, the city focused on developing the Columbia River Skywalk, a pedestrian suspension bridge that officially opened in 2016.
Before construction began, a 2014 referendum saw strong approval from Trail citizens, with nearly 80 per cent of voters supporting the suspension bridge. The City of Trail contributed just over half toward the $15 million project, with remaining costs covered by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) to accommodate the regional sewer service. This was considered the most viable option after a report projected that repairing the Old Bridge to lengthen its life expectancy or building a new secondary vehicle bridge would be a significant financial burden for a population of approximately 7,000.
“We are small enough of a community that one bridge works,” says Trail Councillor Terry Martin, former regional fire chief. “And we have provisions in place to ensure no one is stranded if the bridge closes. If residents choose, they can detour over the Bombi Pass, or we can use the footbridge in a medical emergency.”
Ensuring readiness for critical events
In the event of a closure, Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue would coordinate with BC Ambulance to safely transport a patient across the footbridge using their utility vehicle.This collaborative protocol is part of a broader emergency response framework that includes many key players.
Andre Bloemink, regional specialist with Health Emergency Management BC, supports Interior Health Authority sites and programs in the East Kootenay/Kootenay-Boundary regions. As part of the Provincial Health Services Authority, Bloemink focuses on seasonal readiness and coordinating responses to crises like public health emergencies and wildfires.
“As a community of practice, we need to shift towards adaptation and mitigation,” he says. “That’s where we’re headed in wildfire management – planning for what’s next, not just reacting to what’s happening now.”
Building resilience for the future
Climate change has increased the frequency of natural events, impacting emergency management throughout the province. For example, wildfires in the Slocan Valley during the summer of 2024 rapidly spread and threatened nearby communities. Residents of Silverton faced evacuation orders, with Interior Health relocating long-term care residents as a safety measure.
“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” adds Stephens, who also notes that flooding is a regular seasonal occurrence, pointing to what happened in Grand Forks in 2018, which was the largest flooding disaster in modern B.C. history, until the record was surpassed again in 2021 with an atmospheric river event causing significant flooding in the Lower Mainland.
“Before 2018, you rarely heard about atmospheric rivers outside of meteorology,” he says. “Now, it’s a regular topic in the media.”
In the RDKB, Emergency Operations Centre activations have surged to 120 days as of 2024 from about 80 days annually five years ago. This rise is partly due to both climate-related events and recent changes in emergency legislation, which broaden the range of incidents classified as emergencies.
Local governments have been proactive in addressing climate-related events, with current efforts focused on cold weather preparedness, which previously fell outside local emergency programs’ jurisdiction.
“Trail may be a one-vehicle-bridge town, but we are prepared for the onslaught of possibilities,” says Mayor Jones. “We are leaders in the province when it comes to fire and flood protocols, and we are constantly looking ahead at what’s to come and how we can weather any storm.”