The Fish Creek bear viewing area in Hyder is closed after a dike broke during a glacial outburst flood early Thursday morning. The flood took out a section of around 100 feet in the middle of the viewing platform. No visitors were at the site.
Ketchikan Misty Fjords District Ranger Cathy Tighe says the Forest Service is still assessing the scope of the damage. Hyder is located on the U.S.- British Columbia border and is only accessible by road through Canada. Tighe says that because of the remote location, it can take time to get the right staff out there. They plan on sending an engineer, hydrologist and fish biologist to the area throughout this week. The Forest Service will then evaluate repairs after completing a full assessment of the site.
According to a release from the National Weather Service, the crest of the Salmon River on Thursday was similar to an outburst flooding event last year.
It’s the start of what would typically be the prime viewing season at the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation site, which averages at around 9,800 visitors between mid-July and September. The Forest Service plans to provide full refunds to visitors who pre-paid for passes to the site.
The wildlife viewing area and the parking lot are closed for safety indefinitely. Forest Service staff ask the public to avoid the area until repairs can be made.
