Highway 1 reopens between Abbotsford and Chilliwack, Tiger Dam removed
Highway 1 through Abbotsford reopened just after 2 p.m. Thursday.
“I know it has been hard on people and families as we worked to protect this vital highway, but the results are very good,” said Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun called the reopening "great news" during his afternoon update on the flood situation.
The mayor said Abbotsford police escorted the first vehicles through the previously closed portion of the road to ensure the road is clear and safe.
"This is great news not only for our residents, but also for people, goods and services to be able to once again access this key transportation corridor," Braun said.
Before the highway could reopen, work began around 7:30 Thursday morning to dismantle the Tiger Dam on the highway near Cole Road.
BC Dairy says the highway reopening is a “significant milestone and will help farmers within the flood zone receive better access to services they need.”
The BC Chicken Marketing Board calls the reopening a “relief,” saying it’s been difficult to get essential service trucks from farms through.
The city lifted evacuation orders for Huntingdon village Wednesday night, but evacuation orders for the rest of Sumas Prairie remain in place.
The mayor said Thursday that the city expects to be able to begin lifting other evacuation orders in the next few days. However, he once again repeated that the former Sumas Lake - a low point on the prairie approximately 4.5 kilometres in diameter - would take weeks to drain.
The city's Barrowtown Pump Station reduced water levels in the lake by about seven inches over the last 24 hours, Braun said. He estimated the floodwater in the former lake is between five and six feet - or a little less than two metres - deep, and said it will likely be two to three weeks before the pump station can remove all of the water that remains.
The dam over the highway was built Sunday evening as worries grew that the Nooksack River south of the border would overflow as more heavy rains came.
A Tiger Dam is a series of large, water-filled tubes used to create a barrier against flooding.Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.