The Yukon government tweeted photos of the damage in an update Friday night. The Alaska Highway is closed about 50 to 60 kilometers south of Watson Lake on the BC side of the border.
These photos were taken at Contact Creek earlier today. pic.twitter.com/eHH69Axuo5 —@YukonHPW The incident took place on the BC side of the border, between Liard Hot Springs and Watson Lake. Kelson Willms said he was driving in Liard Hot Springs when someone pulled him over and told him the highway was washed out. “Five minutes up the road, it was basically gone,” he said. Willms, from Whitehorse, said the incident had thrown “a bit of a wrench” into his long-term plans for the weekend. “But I’m sure it’s going to confuse a lot of travelers coming from BC and elsewhere,” Willms said.

The road bed was swept away by the rushing waters

Wilms recorded video of the situation showing a section of the road completely washed away by running water. “A lot of people pulling up the road were trying to like look over the edge,” he said. “But it was actively sliding, so we had to tell a lot of people to back off and make sure they didn’t get too close, because basically the whole hillside was coming down in real time.” Willms said he could hear trees snapping as he descended the hillside. This is not the first time the road has been washed away. A series of washouts in the Yukon 10 years ago led to evacuations and bare store shelves. Andy Paulson, who lives in Whitehorse, said he remembers the incident in 2012. One memory that stands out was people panic buying groceries out of fear that stores wouldn’t be able to stay stocked. He was an employee at Superstore at the time and remembers the company delivering groceries to Whitehorse. Paulson said he has seen an increase in people going to the grocery store since the road closure was announced. “Customers were lined up at the doors this morning before it opened,” he said. Having experienced road closures before, Paulson has a tip for first-timers. “Just be mindful of your situation and others around you and avoid buying things you might not need for a few weeks so others who need it for their young families have that opportunity to get it,” he said. Drive BC, a provincial roads and traffic information website, said the damage is caused by water pooling between Fireside Maintenance Camp and Allen’s Lookout, a scenic spot along the highway. Krysten Johnson, spokeswoman for the Yukon Department of Highways and Public Works, said via email that, “while not ideal,” Highway 37, the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, remains open.