A flooded field in Abbotsford, B.C., is seen after heavy water covered the area on Friday, December 12, 2025. The Canadian Press
Cleanup efforts have begun across British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. Floodwaters from the Nooksack River have started to recede. The river flows north from Washington state. It crossed into Canada during last week’s heavy rain. While water levels have dropped, flood risks remain high.
Provincial officials warned about continued danger. Several rivers across southern B.C. remain swollen. The risk has now spread to Metro Vancouver’s North Shore.
Officials Warn of Ongoing Risks
Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene spoke Monday morning. She said heavy rain hit the south coast overnight. The rain increased flood and landslide risks.
“The ground is saturated in many areas,” Greene said.
“The rivers are full, additional rainfall is going to increase the potential for more flooding and landslides.”
She urged residents to stay cautious.
“Folks should avoid riverbanks and waterways — the water is very high, and the banks may not be stable.”
Weather Warnings Still Active
High-impact rainfall warnings remained in effect Monday. These covered Chilliwack and the Central Fraser Valley. Alerts also stretched from Manning Park to the Skagit Valley. Sections of Highway 3 and the Coquihalla Highway remained under warning.
Officials lifted all warnings for Abbotsford. That city suffered the worst flooding last week. Authorities also cancelled rainfall warnings for Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island.
Farms Face Major Losses
The province confirmed flooding at six poultry farms. These farms sit in the Fraser Valley. Officials have not confirmed exact losses.
Shawn Hall leads emergency operations for the poultry industry. He said losses reached the “tens of thousands” of birds. Fourteen poultry farms sit in flood-affected zones.
Farmers now face two crises. Flooding continues across fields. An avian influenza outbreak remains active.
“We have to be meeting avian influenza biosecurity measures while we're responding to a flood,” Hall said.
“We're going to be as strong as ever, but it is a challenging time.”
Evacuations Slowly Ease
About 100 properties remain under evacuation orders province-wide. Around 1,200 properties remain on alert. Abbotsford downgraded evacuation orders for 39 properties on Sumas Prairie.
As of Monday afternoon, 36 properties still faced evacuation orders. Another 449 properties remained on alert. City crews completed damage checks on flooded homes. Officials want residents to return safely.
The city said floodwater from the Nooksack River has stopped crossing the border. U.S. forecasts show no flood stage expected soon.
Residents Begin Cleanup
Workers cleaned mud and debris at an Abbotsford recycling facility. The site sits near the U.S. border. Floodwater rushed in quickly last week.
Employee Verne Oystrick recalled the moment.
“It was just like a movie. You can't believe how fast it happened,” he said.
Oystrick said the 2021 floods were worse. Those floods caused billions in damage.
Infrastructure and Power Updates
Crews continue inspecting roads and bridges. Officials expect Highway 1 to fully reopen eastbound Monday. Power outages affected 24,000 customers earlier. Most service has returned.
Much of Sumas Prairie remains without electricity. One hog farm still lacks road access. Animals have about one day of feed left.
“We're looking at possibly delivering food by helicopter,” said Agriculture Minister Lana Popham.
Weather Adds More Pressure
Warm temperatures added to runoff risks. Nine B.C. communities set or tied heat records Sunday. Lytton reached 15.2 degrees.
Forecasters warned of more snowmelt runoff. River levels on the Seymour River reached rare levels. Flows remain high and continue rising.
