Heavy rain and a series of atmospheric rivers have severed key routes between British Columbia’s Lower Mainland and the Interior, prompting evacuation alerts and renewed concern about cross-border flooding that rivals the catastrophic 2021 event.
B.C. Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said Wednesday that Abbotsford placed roughly 1,000 properties on evacuation alert, with nearby Chilliwack issuing several evacuation orders. By late evening, Abbotsford elevated 371 properties in Sumas Prairie West to full evacuation orders, with emergency crews assisting residents. Alerts also remain in effect for other parts of Sumas Prairie and Clayburn Village.
Greene urged people to avoid all non-essential travel in the Fraser Valley, where a local state of emergency has been declared. “We need people to stay off the roads for safety and to ensure roads are clear for people who need to evacuate,” she said.
Multiple highways connecting the region have been shut down by flooding, washouts and debris. The Transportation Ministry reported closures on Highways 1, 3, 7, 9 and 99, as well as the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt. Officials say access between the Lower Mainland and the Interior will likely remain cut off until at least Thursday.
Across the U.S. border, the Nooksack River – whose overflow caused billions in damage in 2021 – is again spilling its banks. Provincial water officials say current flows are comparable to 1990 and 2021, though the exact impact remains uncertain. The river is expected to peak overnight and begin receding Thursday.
Greene said the province is better positioned than it was four years ago, citing repaired dike breaches in Sumas Prairie and stronger communication with local governments and U.S. agencies. Work on upgrades to the Barrowtown pump station, a key piece of flood infrastructure, is underway but not yet complete.
Emergency officials say communities across the Fraser Valley are working to protect people, infrastructure and livestock, with protocols in place for evacuating both residents and animals.
Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens said the city’s emergency operations centre is fully staffed and monitoring conditions closely.
Heavy rain continues to raise the risk of flooding, landslides and debris flows across the region. The Fraser Valley Regional District’s emergency declaration will remain in effect for up to 14 days. Additional evacuation alerts were also issued in the Okanagan-Similkameen region.
Some parts of southern B.C. are expected to receive more than 100 millimetres of rain by the end of the storm cycle.
