Chilliwack River-area residents sandbagging amid evacuation alert

Rob Unrau unloads sandbags to protect his home from potential flooding on Jan. 12, 2026.

As an atmospheric river drenches parts of the south coast and Fraser Valley, more than 200 properties along the Chilliwack River remain on evacuation alert Monday.

The Fraser Valley Regional District has set up a sandbagging station at the Chilliwack River Valley Fire Department.

Rob Unrau, whose property falls in the area under alert, spent Monday afternoon filling bags and transferring them to a section of his yard that borders the fast-flowing river.

“We have a gap where the water is going to come into our yard and potentially flood out about six properties,” he told CTV News.

In December, during another atmospheric river, the high flows breached a rock dyke, sending water into Unrau’s yard and flooding some neighbouring properties as well.

The regional district has since shored up the dyke, but Unrau is not entirely confident it will hold the water back this time.

“There’s a gap here which has to be filled and then come across here to link up to the dyke,” he said as he pointed to the area where the water came in last month. “Otherwise, the water is just going to come in again if it gets up to the same level.”

The FVRD calls the evacuation alert precautionary, but residents are still being urged to take the risk seriously.

“Given the circumstances in the last couple of months, and prior years, we just want people to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice should the need arise, and have things of importance ready to grab at a moment’s notice,” said Chris Kloot, the regional district’s vice-chair.

The B.C. River Forecast has issued high-stream flow advisories or flood watches for the entire BC coast and some inland areas.

The agency is urging people to stay away from fast-moving waterways.

“The rivers are going to be changing rapidly. So, a lot of increase in the flow and the river levels and it’s just much more hazardous,” said Dave Campbell, head of the centre.

Until the rain tapers off and the river levels begin to recede, Unrau will be carefully monitoring the defences around his property.

“I’m not convinced it’s going to encroach this time,” he said. “But we have to do something when there’s a threat, right?”