Accidents, winter-weather conditions force B.C. officials to close highways

VANCOUVER – Authorities around British Columbia have been forced to close sections of highway because of several accidents as well as avalanche-control measures.

The decisions were made as Environment Canada issued snowfall warnings across southern B.C., noting accumulations were expected to surpass 20 centimetres in some areas.

The DriveBC website says sections of the Trans-Canada Highway near the communities of Yale and Lytton are closed in both directions because of a collision and a vehicle incident.

It also says Highway 16 east of Smithers has been closed because of a vehicle incident.

DriveBC was also expecting to close the Trans-Canada Highway west of Revelstoke and inside Glacier National Park because of avalanche-control measures.

The website also says intermittent openings along Highway 3 near the Kootenay Pass summit are expected in the morning during avalanche-control measures.