BC

Heavy rain expected over parts of BC this weekend is once again raising fears of possible flooding.

The BC River Forecast Centre issued a high water advisory Thursday for the Upper Fraser, North Thompson, Nechako, Skeena and Bella Coola rivers.

A similar advisory applies to the Cariboo, Upper Columbia and Kootenay rivers.

The centre said many rivers receded last week after earlier rain, but melting snow has kept them high and some of the larger ones, including the Fraser, Skeena, North Thompson and Nechako, are reaching the peak of the snow melt season.

It said the snowpack remains high in many regions of the province, including the Upper Fraser, Nechako, Peace and Skeena-Nass, and it's enough to pose a continuing flood risk.

The centre said rain forecast for the interior this weekend will add more water to the rivers, with levels expected to rise on Sunday and into Monday, and the Fraser River could threaten to spill its banks around Prince George.

An evacuation order was issued for 17 homes in Prince George last week because of high river levels, but was later downgraded to an evacuation alert when the river stabilized.

The Bella Coola region could face the heaviest rain, with up 75 millimetres expected on Saturday and Sunday.

The river forecast centre said rivers in that area will rise rapidly on Sunday and Monday and that could push the Bella Coola River to flood stage.