There will be blasting work this afternoon in the area of the landslide on the Fraser River, near Big Bar.

Crews will be blasting a larger piece of overhanging rock that wasn’t able to be detached using a variety of hand tools. It is to provide safe working conditions and to avoid the chances of a landslide.

This process is expected remove a minimum amount rock while preserving as much of the natural land as possible.

In a release, officials say First Nations continue to asses all areas to ensure archaeological values are protected, with the integration of Indigenous interests into all aspects of operations a priority.

“The preparation consists of the rock scaling crews carefully drilling 50 holes into the rock that are approximately 20 feet deep and two and a half inches in diameter in predetermined locations,” according to the release. “The detonators are non-toxic. These holes have been carefully designed to restrict the size of rocks that will detach, which prevents harming fish that may be below.”

A small section of the Fraser River will be closed off while blasting is taking place, and the there will be noise heard in nearby areas.

“Once blasting has concluded and a safe working area is established, personnel will be able to implement additional actions,” the release said.

(Photos via Big Bar landslide Incident Management Team)