Fraser Valley farmers brace for B.C. storm

Farmers in the Fraser Valley are hoping for the best while preparing for the worst this weekend, with between 40 and 70 millimetres of rain expected to hit the region through Sunday.

Many are hustling to storm-proof their properties before it’s too late.

For Lorne Taves, who runs Taves Family Farms in Abbotsford, that means sacrificing sleep and spending more money.

“It’s a lot of work…you don’t get to go bed when you want to,” Taves said. “I had to have a full semi-trailer of seal dropped off for my parking lot; that’s $2,000.”

Taves says he’s doing everything he can to ensure his farm remains protected and open for visitors willing to brave the forecast conditions.

“Our farm is not so much in a danger zone where water accumulates, but even for us, a lot of resources go into [the preparation].”

With most of his crops already harvested, Taves’ main focus is keeping his parking lot intact and accessible.

“And, not destroyed by the end of the weekend either.”

In the Sumas Prairie, where the scars from the record-level devastations of the floods in 2021 still linger, conditions could prove more challenging.

Victoria Kuit, who served as the coordinator of the Yarrow Food Hub — a vital recovery service after the floods nearly three years ago — understands the stakes.

“Nobody can go through that again in the Sumas Prairie,” Kuit said.

Kuit says she knows many farmers will be on high alert.

“[They] will be making sure generators are topped up with gas in case the power goes out, and they’ll have emergency supplies ready just in case.”

Environment Canada is urging people in the Fraser Valley to remain vigilant for potential flooding as the South Coast experiences its first major storm of the season.