Rapidly rising waters on several rivers around the Interior of B.C. have forced the declaration of one local state of emergency and number of warnings for other areas.

The Cariboo Regional District declared a local state of emergency after the Cottonwood River reached dangerous levels on Thursday.

At least two properties in and around the Quesnel/Hixon and Landry Road area are now under an evacuation order and several others are under alert.

"Those properties are on the riverbank and there has been some erosion that has been taking place. Apparently there has been some issues in the past, but we're just taking precautionary measures to make sure everybody is safe," said information officer Shelly Burich.

Warnings and advisories issued

Several other regions are also beginning to see the effects of recent heavy rains, warmer temperatures and snowpacks that are up to 140 per cent above normal in some areas.

Cool weather over the day is expected to be followed by warm weather Friday, and showers into the weekend. River levels are expected to level off through the day, and are expected to increase again Friday and into the weekend.

The Rivers Forecast Centre has issued a high stream flow advisory for low-lying areas of the Salmon River near Falkland, 44 kilometres northwest of Vernon.

At least one central B.C. home is in danger of being washed away as the Salmon River north of Prince George erodes its banks, prompting the regional district to activate level one of its emergency operations centres.

Elsewhere, minor flooding has been reported along Priest Creek in Kelowna's southeast corner and McDougall Creek in West Kelowna.

Emergency management program officials in the North Okanagan say free sandbags are available for property owners from Vernon to Armstrong, and it urges them to make a plan to protect their homes and lands.

Residents are reminded to use extreme caution around the rivers and other waterways.

With files from the Canadian Press.