Evacuation alerts to Sumas Prairie West and Clayburn Village

An atmospheric river soaking B.C.’s south coast Wednesday has forced evacuation alerts and orders for multiple Fraser Valley properties.

Shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the City of Abbotsford issued evacuation alerts for properties in Sumas Prairie West and Clayburn Village.

“The most potentially impacted properties will receive hand-delivered notices from Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service, Abbotsford Police Department, and others,” the city said in a written statement.

City staff encourage residents in the affected areas to plan ahead in case they need to evacuate.

The statement continues, saying that the atmospheric river weather event will likely not be as damaging as the 2021 incident.

However, according to provincial weather modelling, the aftermath is expected to be worse than the flooding in 2020.

The Nooksack River poses one of many risks to property owners in the affected areas.

Abbotsford officials say they will stay in contact with their counterparts in Whatcom County, Washington state, to monitor the water levels of the Nooksack River.

The river “is expected to overtop its banks this (Wednesday) afternoon, and overflow water will take approximately seven hours to cross the Canada/U.S.A. border based on past experience,” the city said in the statement.

Mayor Ross Siemens says he is in touch with provincial government

In an update, Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens says that the city and emergency staff are well prepared.

“I want to assure you that we are in a place a much better place than we were in 2020-21,” he said.

“Residents should plan to stay informed by following updates at abbotsford.ca, and if they are in an evacuation area, to prepare a grab-and-go bag,” Abbotsford’s Fire Chief Eric Peterson added.

Both say that the local officials are in touch with the provincial Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

The city also announced that Cole Road at the dike, between Wellsline Road and Vye Road, will be closed.

Additionally, city staff ask the public to let officials know about clogged storm drains, localized flooding, flooded roadways, or overflowing ditches.

Residents are urged to stay updated on the developing situation and contact the city at 604-853-5485 or 604-864-5552.