Mission RCMP issue warning after campers set up on island near Stave Lake Dam

MISSION — A group of people, including children, were safely brought off a small island in the Stave River recently after a concerned citizen alerted Mission RCMP to a potential danger they were facing.

Police were called on the evening of August 21 after the citizen reported the group had travelled by boat to the island and set up tents. The citizen told police the dam upstream regularly releases water, causing the island to disappear beneath the water.

An officer attended and called out to the group, advising them they needed to leave because they could be at risk of being caught in rapidly rising water. The group packed up their belongings and returned safely to shore.

Mission RCMP is reminding anyone recreating in the area of a dam to check for related information on the BC Hydro website and assess potential risks before entering the water.