Rain in B.C. triggers evacuation watches, local state of emergency in Fraser Valley

By Canadian Press on March 20, 2026.

VANCOUVER — The risk of flooding, landslides and debris flows caused by an atmospheric river rolling over British Columbia’s coast has prompted a local state of emergency in the Fraser Valley in the Chilliwack area.

The Fraser Valley Regional District says in a statement that the declaration affects the southeastern corner of the district along the border with the United States.

The district says the prolonged rainfall has raised the potential harms to people, property, infrastructure and the environment.

It says the state of emergency will remain in effect until the threat to public safety is resolved.

B.C.’s Fraser Valley has a history of flooding following heavy rains, and the BC River Forecast Centre says the area is now under a flood watch.

The declaration comes amid a series of atmospheric rivers that have rolled in from the Pacific onto B.C.’s coast since Sunday.

Area E is also the site of two evacuation alerts covering just under 40 homes.

The district says residents of those properties should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

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 rain.

The weather agency says up to 130 millimetres of rain could fall in those areas, 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 responded a mudslide in Coquitlam on Thursday that stranded several residents and damaged power lines.

Meteorologist Brian Proctor says 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