Highway 16 remains closed as RCMP conducts urgent policing matter

Highway 16 remains closed to traffic from two points east of Terrace today, as Northwest RCMP conduct a police operation to determine what happened on the east - west route through Northern BC on Sunday night.

As we outlined on the blog last night, Highway travel along Highway 16 came to a stop east of Terrace and west of Kitwanga on Sunday evening, as the RCMP closed the highway to traffic in both directions in order to conduct an investigation into what was at the time described as a police incident.

Reporting on the incident this morning, CFTK News advised that there were unconfirmed reports of shots fired in that area.

The incident was first reported after 6 pm on Sunday, at which time RCMP forces in the Northwest converged on the area to determine the nature of events and provide for public safety by closing the road.

The highway remained closed in the overnight period,  and no timetable for its reopening has been announced thus far.

The Drive BC website announced provisions for a detour route east and west, which were announced at 7:41 on Monday morning.

While the RCMP continue to conduct their investigation and secure the area, travellers will have a lengthy detour over a variety of Northwest forest roads and highways to travel further east and west.

The Detour from Drive BC as announced is as follows:

Closed in both directions from Terrace to Kitwanga due to Police Incident. A piloted detour route is available via Hwy 37, the Nass Forest Service Road and Nisga'a Hwy 113.


 Eastbound openings from Nass Camp 11 km east of New Aiyansh at 8 am, 12 noon and 4 pm. 


Westbound openings from the intersection of Hwy 37 and the Nass FSR (approx 70 km north of Kitwanga) at 10 am, 2 pm and 6 pm. 


Updated on Mon Nov 1 at 7:43 am. (ID# 99840) 


Further information on the road detour situation will be made available through the Drive BC website

Official information from the RCMP and Media reports on the incident thus far have been limited:

CFTK-- Police Incident Closes Highway East of Terrace 
Terrace Standard-- Police close highway east of Terrace


Update: November 1, 9:50 am


Terrace RCMP issued this advisory on Monday morning outlining that they are dealing with an unfolding incident that requires the closure of the highway, no further details were provided in the release, though updates will be made as soon as possible as to the nature of the incident.