Grace Kennedy

In related news, Chilliwack schools (and some daycares, including ours) are closed tomorrow due to the Abbotsford flooding.

Floodwaters in Sumas Prairie and Huntingdon Village are expected to peak within the next 12 hours. Water levels on the Abbotsford side of the border continue to rise and based on current modelling and data from the 1990 flood event, water is anticipated to reach Highway 1 late this evening or early tomorrow morning. Evacuation Orders remain in place for 82 properties in Huntingdon Village and 371 properties in Sumas Prairie West. Evacuation Alerts remain in place for 1,069 properties in Sumas Prairie East and West and residents are encouraged to prepare in case they are required to leave their homes. Residents are strongly urged to stay out of the evacuation areas, away from floodwater and off all flooded or water-covered roads for their own safety and to ease strain on emergency responders. The Emergency Operations Centre is continuously monitoring available data and modelling and remains in constant communication with Whatcom County and the Province of BC. While the River Forecast at North Cedarville shows the Nooksack River has peaked and levels are now dropping, overflow waters are still flowing towards Abbotsford. An interactive map showing the active evacuation alerts and orders is available on the City’s website. Residents can use the search function to confirm whether their property is impacted. Abbotsford Fire Rescue Services, Abbotsford Police Department and others are in the evacuation areas to ensure evacuated properties are aware of the Order and are assisting with the evacuation where needed. The Reception Centre at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre (2499 McMillan Road) will be open until 10 p.m.

Update from the city of Abbotsford — flood waters expected to reach Highway 1 late this evening, with the flood expecting to peak early tomorrow morning.

It’s a lot of work to move a whole herd with several hundred cattle, and traumatic for the cows. Farmers, unfortunately, have the experience now to get a sense of when they really need to get their animals out of there.

The area is home to a number of dairy farms and poultry operations. Most of the dairy cows are staying put, BC Dairy said this afternoon, although one farm moved most of its young calves and non-milking cattle.

Floodwaters breached the dike at Vye Road (which is also the SRY rail track) about two hours ago. Residents took video of the water pouring over the edge. (Video on Facebook: www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bji...)

Indeed, the Fraser has already retreated close to typical low-fall levels. Should allow the Barrowtown gates to be opened and for water to pass through, albeit slower than water is entering the prairie.

The Fraser Valley Is Flooding Again. Are We Ready? | The Tyee As the Nooksack spills north, some lessons learned, and ignored, since the 2021 disaster.

STORY: A recap of what has been done and what hasn't to address the flood threat posed by the Nooksack.
thetyee.ca/News/2025/12...

BREAKING: Over the last hour floodwaters have inundated Sumas, Wash. Flooding will soon be starting in Sumas Prairie.

NOOKSACK THREAD: As dawn breaks, western Sumas Prairie is on evacuation order. The lakebed is on alert. From border cams you can see Sumas, Wash., immediately south of Abbotsford is not flooded. Which is good.

It's worth noting that size of sound does not equate to size of slide. A friend in Squamish heard what he thought was an immense rockfall off Slhany a couple weeks ago, which ended up being caused by a single boulder falling

For up-to-date information, look at your official sources: the BC Government, your local government, Sumas Wash. for details on what’s going on over the border. Individual reporters here are also doing good work, but we need to sleep and floods do not.

The Fraser Valley flood Find every story the Fraser Valley Current wrote about the 2021 landslides and flooding here.

If you want to catch up on some History™️, you can flip through @tyolsen.bsky.social and my 2021 FV flood coverage. Some stories will be for FVC subscribers only. Others should still be available with no paywall. Please remember none of the information in there is current!

A very rare ending on a positive note by @tyolsen.bsky.social. But also, facts is facts. Hopefully the prediction is correct.

There are many people posting information about evacuations on Facebook that is actually from, and only applies to, 2021. Make sure that the things you are reading and sharing relate to this event, and not the 2021 event.

On Facebook, the FV Flood Help group has been “reactivated” for those seeking assistance with evacuations, sandbagging, etc. www.facebook.com/share/g/1DdJ...

On a Hope facebook group, residents of Hope say they have heard a massive sound coming down
"t sounded like the mountain was coming down." Others say they have heard the same noise. The dark is likely to obscure any landslides taking place.

For farmers: evacuation assistance is available, particularly for livestock. This was a massive challenge during the 2021 floods, with many farmers staying behind during evacuation orders to try and rescue their cattle or other animals.

Love an unlisted YouTube live stream as the province’s way to share details on the flood situation, but the result is not much changed as of yet. Don’t drive, highways are closed or closing into the Interior. Hope is cut off once again, but there have been no requests for assistance.

Officials now speaking. Basically all highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior are closing. That includes Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon and, soon, the Highway 99 toward Pemberton.

Flooding in parts of B.C.’s Fraser Valley leads to state of emergency, evacuation alerts — and old anxieties | CBC

The team at CBC is providing good timely updates on their page here. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

B.C. Flood Warning Information - EmergencyInfoBC Flood - The River Forecast Centre has issued the following Flood Advisories:

People looking for information on the 2025 edition of the Fraser Valley floods can find it here. BC’s “urgent” update is set to begin soon. www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/flood-...

Essential travel only - Fraser Valley. Avoid travel unless necessary.

Because of a risk of flooding, avoid travel in the Fraser Valley unless necessary until the atmospheric river passes and water levels subside. Highway 1 and other provincial roadways could close with little or no notice. Follow DriveBC.ca for the latest info. #BCFlood

If you’re not already following @tyolsen.bsky.social for Fraser Valley flood updates, now would be the time to do so.

BREAKING: Officials in Sumas, Wash., immediately south of Abbotsford will be sounding their flood siren that warns residents to evacuate. This is a sign of likely flooding in Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford.
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...

Province providing update on flood warning for parts of B.C.’s Fraser Valley | CBC

Feeling nothing but sympathy for whoever was trying to solve the live stream issues at CBC today.

Some substantial flooding is very possible in rivers near the U.S. Canada border. The Nooksack, for its part, is forecast to hit moderate flood stage, which probably wouldn't heavily impact Canada. But a lot will ride on the weather.

I don’t understand why a journalism org wouldn’t participate — we love data! We want everyone to provide cute little survey infographics and analysis so we can write about it. Why would we not participate in one ourselves?

Everything about this is awful, but the kicker is that you already have to have a ChatGPT subscription. Like yes, we will ask you to sell your soul and also, please make sure you’ve paid the Hell+ subscription to do so.

I’m always disappointed when I can only find a hardcover version of a book — how else am I supposed to carry it in my purse without the strap breaking?

I have literally been thinking about this all day. How unbelievably depressing.