Heavy rain in coastal B.C. prompts evacuation watches in Fraser Valley

VANCOUVER — Residents in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia are on high alert, as rising floodwaters threaten to force them from their homes while officials warn of landslides and power outages.

Two evacuation alerts covering just under 40 homes have been issued in the Chilliwack area.

The Fraser Valley Regional District says residents of those properties should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Environment Canada has expanded rainfall warnings across southern portions of the province, with the Fraser Valley and the Metro Vancouver communities of Coquitlam and Maple Ridge expected to see the heaviest precipitation.

The weather agency says up to 130 millimetres of rain could fall in the area, and warnings are also in place for western Vancouver Island, the Fraser Canyon, Howe Sound, Whistler, the Highway 1 corridor from Vancouver to the Alberta boundary and the Kootenay region.

The weather station in Coquitlam recorded 133 millimetres of rain as of Thursday afternoon, while Maple Ridge saw 124 millimetres and Burnaby Mountain recorded 118 millimetres.

Emergency officials elsewhere in the province have already responded to incidents linked to the storm, including mudslides that have stranded residents and damaged power lines.

Meteorologist Brian Proctor said the atmospheric river system is expected to move out Friday, but the province will need a prolonged period of dry weather for conditions to stabilize.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2026.

The Canadian Press