The City of Abbotsford has extended the size of the Evacuation Order as water levels rise. / city of Abbotsford
Public Safety

More evacuations ordered in Abbotsford however flood impacts expected to be lower than 2021 disaster

Dec 11, 2025 | 11:50 AM

ABBOTSFORD — The City of Abbotsford says an additional 82 properties in Huntingdon Village up to 2 Avenue and Sumas Way are now under an evacuation order as floodwaters from Washington State’s Nooksack River have reached north into Abbotsford.

The new properties join the 371 properties in Sumas Prairie West which were placed under an evacuation order earlier. Evacuation Alerts remain in place for 1,069 properties in Sumas Prairie East and West. The alert for Clayburn Village has been lifted.

Officials say the Nooksack River reached major flood stage and peaked at 3 a.m. at the North Cedarville gauge in Washington State. Current modelling suggests the level of flooding will be similar to the 1990 flood and much less severe than the disaster in 2021.

Emergency officials say 15 families spent the night at the reception centre at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre. The City is asking all residents who have been evacuated to check in at the reception centre either in person or online.

B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says 66 farms in the Fraser Valley are impacted by Evacuation Orders. Another 99 farms are in areas that are under an Evacuation Alert. Popham says the farms include poultry, dairy and pork livestock.

BC River Forecast Centre spokesperson David Campbell says the primary cause of the flooding in Sumas Prairie is from the water that has overflowed the banks of the Nooksack River. He says levels in Nooksack have begun to decline but suggests water will continue to flow north into Sumas Prairie through most of Thursday (Dec. 11).

Transportation officials say they do not see any signs that infrastructure will be impacted to the same levels of November, 2021. Eastbound lanes along Highway 1 in the Bridal Falls area have been blocked by a mudslide. Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton is also closed. There is no timeline for the reopening of the highways.

The Coquihalla remains closed between Merritt and Hope by flooding. An aerial examination by experts Thursday morning revealed a pair of locations with water running over the road. However, they are quick to point out that there is no sign of substantial damage to the highway or any of its bridges.

The Ministry of Transportation says Sumas Canada/U.S.A. border crossing is closed to all traffic. An assessment of the highway won’t be made until floodwaters recede.