Hazards

Debris flows are very fast-moving, liquefied landslides that carry soil and other debris including boulders, and vegetation. Debris flows are most often triggered during periods of intensive rainfall resulting in high soil saturation levels but can also be triggered by rock fall or avalanche on unstable slopes. Known debris flow hazards within Squamish include the Cheekye Fan and Stawamus River.

In The Event of a Debris Flow

Immediately evacuate yourself and your family if you notice any of the following around your area:

• Sounds of intense cracking or falling trees, particularly in the absence of strong winds, or sounds of boulders knocking together
• Rapid water or slurry flow, where it has not been observed before
• If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for irregularities or any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and notice whether the water changes from clear to muddy

If no escape is possible:

• Find cover in the section of the building that is furthest away from the approaching debris flow
• Take shelter under a strong table or bench
• Curl into a tight ball and protect your head

Earthquakes can strike suddenly and without warning. Squamish sits near active tectonic zones, making it important to understand local risks and how to respond. To learn more, visit PreparedBC or download the PreparedBC's earthquake and tsunami smart manual.

Squamish Vulnerabilities Include:

• Floodplain areas at risk of liquefaction during shallow quakes
• Potential isolation if Hwy 99 is damaged on either side of District boundaries
• Older buildings may not meet modern seismic standards
• Limited evacuation/reception capacity for residents and visitors during emergencies

What to Do During an Earthquake

• Indoors: Stay put. Move only a few steps and drop, cover and hold. Do not rush outside unless the building is visibly unsafe.
• Outdoors: Move a few steps away from hazards (buildings, power lines), then drop, cover and hold.
• Downtown Sidewalks: Shelter in a doorway or move to a wide, open area — watch for traffic and falling objects.
• Beach or Coastal areas: Drop, cover, hold, then move to higher ground (low tsunami risk in Squamish, but stay cautious).
• In a Vehicle: Pull over safely, stay inside with seatbelt on until shaking stops. Avoid bridges afterward.
• Near Slopes/Cliffs: Watch for landslides or falling debris during and after the quake.

Heat

Although Squamish does not typically experience the same extreme summer heat as other regions of Canada, our summer temperatures can climb to dangerous highs. And, with climate change, more frequent and severe extreme heat events can be expected in the future.

Key Preparation Tips

• Dress for the weather by wearing loose, lightweight clothing. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Keep your home cool. Open windows (ensuring children are not at risk of falling from them), close shades or blinds, use an air conditioner and prepare meals that do not require an oven.
• Avoid sunburn, stay in the shade or use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more.
• Drink cool, non-alcoholic beverages (preferably water) irrespective of your activity intake. Don't wait until you are thirsty.
• Never leave children or pets in parked car
• People living alone are at high risk of severe heat related illness. Check in regularly with anyone who lives alone, particularly older people, those with mental illness and anyone else who is unable to leave their un-air conditioned homes, for signs of heat-related illness. 

Cold

Winter storms in Squamish can cause power outages, blocked roads, icy conditions, and extremely cold temperatures.  It is important to be prepared for winter weather for both your safety and comfort.

Key Preparation Tips

• Stock essential supplies, such as flashlight, extra batteries, non-perishable food, warm clothing, blankets and first-aid kit.
• Store extra firewood if you use a wood stove or fireplace.
• Charge cell phones and have a portable power bank ready.
• Drain exposed water lines to prevent freezing.
• Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle.
• Dress warmly when outdoors, watch for frostbite or hypothermia, and avoid strenuous activity in the cold.

Flooding in Squamish can range from minor events with little impact to major floods causing serious damage to infrastructure and property. The geography of Squamish is particularly vulnerable to flood events, combining four of the five most commonly flooded land types (river floodplains, basins and valleys affected by flash flooding, land below water-retention structures [dams], and low-lying coastal and inland shorelines.)

The District of Squamish Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan is a comprehensive flood management strategy offering more than 100 specific tools designed to manage local flood risks. 

What to Do During a Major Flood

• Tune In: Monitor 107.1 Mountain FM for emergency updates.
• Activate: Initiate your emergency plan, pull out your grab-and-go kit, and contact your support network if you need help
• Move: Get your pets to a safe place and raise valuables and chemicals above floor level
• Prepare: Use sandbags to protect your home and fill bathtubs/containers with clean water
• Turn Off: Unplug small appliances to avoid damage from power surges. However, do not attempt to shut off electricity, if any water is already present. Leave your home immediately and do not return until authorities indicate it is safe to do so
• Be Safe: Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters unless necessary

Resources

• Current Flood Warnings
• Weather Alerts
• Flooding & Sea Level Rise in Squamish

Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) can pose a risk, because they can be found in everyday locations such as at home, at work, or on the road. However, most HAZMAT events occur during road or rail transportation. Accidents at industrial sites may also occur due to natural disasters, fire, human error, infrastructure deterioration and failure, accidents and intentional damage. Should hazardous materials be released into the environment in large amounts, they can be extremely dangerous to public health. 

What to Do:

• Develop a household emergency plan and put together a grab-and-go kit
• If a hazardous material release occurs, listen for instructions from emergency officials
• If you are instructed to shelter-in-place, remain indoors and wait for further information and instructions
• If you are instructed to evacuate and have time, close windows, shut vents, and turn off fans
• Only return home if you are told it is safe to do so by an emergency official

Ammonia

Facilities equipped with ammonia refrigeration systems are safe when properly designed and when their safety is assured by an operational security program. An extensive preventative and routine maintenance program is in place as part of the Refrigeration Maintenance Plan, which was most recently reviewed and updated in August 2021 to meet new safety requirements.

Technical Safety BC and WorkSafeBC regulate ammonia use in ice arenas in British Columbia. The District of Squamish system complies with both of these regulators.

Qualified recreation facility maintenance staff complete safety training annually and a qualified contractor (CIMCO) conducts preventative maintenance three times a year. Formal evacuation training with Squamish Fire Rescue is implemented bi-annually.

The following Ammonia Use Fact Sheet outlines use at Brennan Park Recreation Centre ice arena.

Landslides, including slope failure, rock falls and debris flows, are a common hazard in the Squamish area, and normally pose little risk in the backcountry and uninhabited regions. However, in more populated areas, they can cause injury, death and can bury infrastructure under tons of earth and organic materials.

What to Do:

• Make sure you have an emergency plan and grab-and-go kit
• Stay alert for notices of danger and emergency updates on radio, TV and the internet
• Evacuate immediately if a notice is issued
• If you live on or under a steep slope, ensure that you meet Squamish bylaw requirements. Contact the District if you have any concerns
• Be familiar with the landslide hazard and risk associated with your property
• Immediately evacuate any structure and then dial 9-1-1 if you notice sounds such as of intense cracking or falling trees, particularly in the absence of strong winds, sounds of boulders knocking together or rapid water or slurry flow, where it has not been observed before

Learn more about The Barrier, where several major landslides and debris flows have occurred.

A pandemic is a worldwide outbreak of a specific disease which affects a large proportion of the population and spreads rapidly. Disease outbreaks and pandemics can occur when a new virus strain emerges. It can spread rapidly amongst the population, posing a threat to health and safety. 

Squamish falls within a Vancouver Coastal Health, Health Services Delivery Area. Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for developing, maintaining, and implementing the pandemic response plan for the Sea to Sky Corridor. 

Resources

• BC Centre for Disease Control - follow for updates: X @CDCofBC
• Health Information: 8-1-1

What is the Barrier?

The Barrier is a tall rock wall, about 250 meters high, formed around 12,000 years ago. It was created when lava from a volcano on Mt. Price flowed into the Cheakamus River valley and got blocked by the Cordilleran Ice Sheet. This lava built up and formed a natural dam. Because of this dam, lakes like Garibaldi Lake, Lesser Garibaldi Lake, and Barrier Lake were created. Water from these lakes slowly leaks out through underground springs into Rubble Creek.

Hazards and History

Over the years, there have been several landslides and rockfalls at the Barrier. These events can block Rubble Creek and cause flooding downstream in the Cheakamus River. One big landslide in 1855 created a field of large rocks, which is how Rubble Creek got its name.

In 1981, the Provincial government declared that the area right below the Barrier was too dangerous to live in. People living in the small village of Garibaldi were moved to safer places. While big landslides are rare, they could still damage important things like Highway 99 and cause some flooding in nearby areas.

How the Risk Is Managed

The Barrier is a natural hazard that can’t be physically fixed. Instead, experts manage the risk by controlling land use, keeping an eye on it, and doing research. Other dangers like floods, earthquakes, and wildfires are more likely to happen and cause more damage, so the District focuses more on those.

Ongoing Research

Scientists are still studying the Barrier to understand it better:

• Quest University researchers mapped the lakes between 2016 and 2018 to learn how water levels connect to the lava dam and Rubble Creek.
• UBC researchers have been using laser scans since 2017 to track how often rocks fall and how the Barrier’s surface changes. Rockfall occur fairly regularly and are very small.
• Simon Fraser University placed sensors in the Sea to Sky area to measure movements in the ground that could lead to landslides or rockfalls.

See the Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan final report for details. 

A Tsunami consists of a series of long, strong waves caused by underwater earthquakes, coastal and underwater landslides during which a large volume of ocean water is rapidly displaced. 

Squamish is located in Tsunami Notification Zone E and is identified as low risk for tsunami, with estimated wave heights of less than two metres above normal sea levels in a worst case scenario.

What to do:

• If you feel a major earthquake and you are near a shoreline, you should Drop, Cover and Hold On, then evacuate immediately after the shaking stops
• Head inland or to higher ground immediately (10 metres above sea level is optimal)
• Stay tuned to this website, social media, or local radio station for important emergency information

Download the Prepared BC Earthquake and Tsunami Smart Manual to learn more about what happens during and after a tsunami incident.

Wildfires are more likely during hot, dry weather — and with Squamish’s many forested areas, the risk is ever-present. Wildfire safety is a shared responsibility between emergency services, all levels of government, residents and visitors. The District’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) provides 48 recommendations to help guide Squamish in wildfire mitigation and risk reduction initiatives.

These include:

• Fuel Management: Forest thinning and fuel treatments
• FireSmart Initiatives: Home assessments, Chipper Days
• Evacuation Planning: All-hazards community plan
• Regulations: Wildfire Development Permit Area guidelines & landscaping bylaw

View the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Be FireSmart

People cause nearly half of all wildfires in B.C. Being a safe community starts at home. 

• Visit: PrepareBC and learn how you can prepare 
• Download: FireSmart Homeowner's manual and learn how to protect your home 

Resources:

• BC Wildfire Service website.
• BC Air Quality website.
• Any health information and precautions related to current conditions are available on the Vancouver Coastal Health website (under "News").
• BC FireSmart manual
• Interface construction and high-risk activity regulations

To report a fire:

• Call: 911 (within District boundaries) or 1-800-663-5555/*5555 (outside District boundaries) toll-free on most cellular networks.