After the water levels receded in Abbotsford, B.C., officials reopened Highway 1 and reduced some evacuation orders, but with more rain anticipated in the Fraser Valley and other areas of the province.
On Sunday afternoon, the City of Abbotsford announced the downgrade of evacuation orders for 248 properties in Sumas Prairie to evacuation alerts. These properties include areas from Sumas Dike/Marion Road west to most properties accessible from Whatcom Road and most properties south of the Sumas River. However, a flood warning remains in place for Sumas River, and residents on evacuation alert should remain prepared to evacuate promptly.
Abbotsford’s interactive evacuation map has been updated and is now searchable by address.
On Sunday morning, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit confirmed that Highway 1 had been reopened through Abbotsford, with one eastbound lane and both westbound lanes operational. DriveBC provides a list of all other road closures and reopenings.
Environment Canada issued several weather warnings on Sunday. As of 5:30 p.m. PT Sunday, orange level rainfall warnings are in effect for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Skagit Valley Park, the Coquihalla (Highway 5) between Hope and Merritt, and along Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton. Additionally, various yellow weather warnings are also in effect, with heavy rain expected in Vancouver Island, parts of Metro Vancouver, and the Sea-to-Sky corridor. Wind and winter storm warnings cover the central coast and a significant portion of the province’s north, including Terrace, Fort Nelson, Chetwynd, and Dawson Creek.
According to the agency’s color-coded warning system, yellow signifies hazardous weather with potential moderate or localized impacts, orange alerts indicate severe weather with widespread or lasting impacts, and red alerts are reserved for extreme, potentially life-threatening situations.
Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens mentioned that while floodwaters in the city have decreased, there is still overflow water coming from the Nooksack River across the border. The city’s emergency operations center remains active and will continue to monitor river levels and weather conditions closely in the upcoming days.
In Chilliwack, officials have cautioned that local rivers are likely to rise, potentially causing localized flooding, although not as severe as earlier in the week.
For some residents, the impact of the floods persists. Abbotsford farmer Jesse Fuller shared that his family has been stranded on their property for almost two days due to flooded roads cutting off access. He mentioned using a fishing boat to navigate the property and procure supplies.
North of Highway 1, residents have been assessing the aftermath of the floods. Teresa Vogel visited Delair Park after the baseball diamond where her son plays was surrounded by floodwaters.
Nearby resident Cindy Braun noted that seeing floodwaters over the highway brought back memories of the devastating floods in 2021, expressing concern despite recognizing that the current situation was less severe.
The community is preparing for the next wave of rain as the floodwaters in Abbotsford begin to recede after the recent heavy rainfall. Evacuation orders remain in place for hundreds of properties, with alerts issued for many others.