B.C. braces for ‘high impact’ rain in flood-struck Fraser Valley and beyond

British Columbia is bracing for another “high impact” deluge of rain that’s forecast to hit the province’s Fraser Valley, after intense downpours and cross-border outflows last week inundated Abbotsford, triggered evacuations and cut major highways.

Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said Sunday that flood and landslide risks in parts of the province will increase with more stormy weather in the forecast, even as floodwaters receded in Abbotsford after heavy rains last week.

“We aren’t through this yet,” Greene said during an update alongside other provincial officials. “While road conditions are currently improving, they may change quickly due to flooding.”

The province’s Ministry of Transportation and Transit said late Sunday that two main routes between the Lower Mainland and the Interior would close overnight as a precaution because of the forecast.

The ministry said Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon between the Hope junction and Lytton, as well as Highway 99 between Mt. Currie and Lillooet, would not reopen until Monday morning.

“There are known slide areas along both highways, as well as slopes damaged by recent wildfires. These proactive closures are due to the risk of rockfall, debris flows and washouts as a result of heavy rain and snowpack melt,” the ministry’s statement said.

Environment Canada issued orange rainfall warnings for the west and central Fraser Valley regions — including Abbotsford and Chilliwack — as well as the Skagit Valley, with up to 80 millimetres of rain in some areas where localized flooding was likely.

The orange warnings meant rain was expected to cause significant damage, disruption or health impacts, and Environment Canada said there would be high impacts with a high degree of likelihood.

The heaviest rains were expected for Monday, before tapering off in the evening.

Lower-level yellow rain warnings were also up for Metro Vancouver and about 10 other regions.

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said 56 farms remained under evacuation order, with 13 on alert, as flooded barns led to deaths of chickens on some affected poultry farms in Abbotsford.

Connie Chapman with the province’s water management branch said flood warnings remained for the Sumas and Chilliwack Rivers, and there were high stream flow advisories in several other parts of B.C., including Haida Gwaii, the north, central and south coast and on Vancouver Island.

“We do know that the precipitation amounts going to fall are going to land differently than what we saw last week,” Chapman said. “How that’s fully going to play out … is a little uncertain.”

She said the forecast was less intense than last week, but officials were still concerned about areas already impacted by flooding being hit again.

On Sunday, the City of Abbotsford said it downgraded evacuation orders for 248 properties in Sumas Prairie, but that they would remain on evacuation alert.

Many evacuation orders were also rescinded in the area on Saturday, and over a thousand evacuation alerts for properties in Sumas Prairie West and Sumas Prairie East were lifted.

Abbotsford fire chief Erick Peterson said the city was still maintaining an up-to-date map of affected properties online, and he was happy to see that damage assessments have shown most evacuated homes have been deemed safe to re-enter.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens said the incoming weather won’t make it easy for many residents to return to their homes and farms, and said the city’s emergency operations centre was still active.

The B.C. government said earlier Sunday that Highway 1 out of Abbotsford was reopened in both directions, but officials said there could be short-notice closures on some stretches due to flood risk on Highway 5, the Coquihalla Highway, Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon, and Highway 99 from Cache Creek to Pemberton.

The ministry says drivers should expect congestion and slower speeds moving east, and that it was still monitoring the weather situation before reopening the second eastbound lane of Highway 1 out of Abbotsford.

It said the highway was still vulnerable after heavy rains caused flooding in the city, closing side roads and the highway before floodwaters began receding.

The City of Abbotsford says the flooding situation has notably improved as floodwaters gradually recede, but overflow from the Nooksack River in Washington State was still a problem.

Officials in Chilliwack have also warned that local rivers were expected to swell, which may cause localized flooding, but not as much as earlier in the week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2025.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press