Historic flooding has inundated Washington since early December, with some of the hardest hit areas in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
The devastation was still being tallied as more rain was in the forecast by press time, with significant damage in Whatcom County focused in Sumas, Nooksack, Everson, Ferndale and Lummi Nation. As for the state, more than half of Skagit County’s population was ordered to evacuate last week and Highway 2, the major highway connecting Stevens Pass Ski Area and Leavenworth, is expected to be closed for months due to flood damage.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office reported on December 15 that its Division of Emergency Management (DEM) helped clean hundreds of homes over the weekend and that 27 people were staying in a Lynden shelter. Over 1 million pounds of debris has been collected throughout the county as cleanup remains ongoing, according to the sheriff’s office.
The storm brought governor Bob Ferguson to assess damage in Whatcom County on December 17. The governor’s visit trailed U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen (WA-02) and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who met with Whatcom County and tribal leaders on December 13.
The state’s Congressional delegation requested on December 11 that President Donald Trump approve Ferguson’s request for an expedited emergency declaration for the state, which the president approved a day later. The declaration allows federal disaster assistance for the flooding, landslides and mudslides resulting from the storm, starting on December 9.
While most of Blaine and Birch Bay were spared from the brunt of the downpour, the community has stepped up to assist those in need – including Westside Pizza sending pizzas to flood victims and a $300 cash donation from Monte’s Just a Bite. The Way Café in Birch Bay also donated over 100 sandwiches and Border Town Pizza was donating 100 percent of proceeds from its pop-up Christmas sale through Saturday, December 20.
The flooding comes four years after the November 2021 floods, then dubbed a 100-year flood, that ripped through Whatcom and Skagit counties, along with other areas of the state. Damage from the 2021 floods in the Blaine area is still being fixed, and this is the area’s third major storm since its Super Bowl Sunday storm in 2020.
• The Flood Incident Call Center in Whatcom County has up-to-date information for volunteering and needed donations at 360/788-5303. Operators are available in Spanish.
• Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group. The Whatcom County group, which started after the 2021 floods, is accepting volunteers to help clean up flood debris as well as monetary donations and donations of cleaning buckets, scrub brushes, rubber gloves, new space heaters, new box fans and gift cards for these items.
Monetary donations may be made at whatcomstrong.com/donate. To complete a volunteer sign-up form, visit the group’s website at bit.ly/3Y0WDMJ.
• Whatcom County has compiled a list of resources for people impacted by the floods, as well as information for people wanting to help pets or livestock. To view the list, visit bit.ly/3XX1SNw.
• The Whatcom Community Foundation and the Skagit Community Foundation have both started relief funds for flood victims. Donations to the Whatcom foundation can be made at bit.ly/3Y1MNu3, and donations to the Skagit foundation can be made at skagitcf.org/disaster-relief.html.
• Family Promise of Skagit County is operating two emergency shelters that are in need of essential supplies for flood victims. To volunteer or donate, email communicationteam@familypromiseskagit.org or call 360/854-0743.
• American Red Cross Disaster Relief donation. The Red Cross has set up a fund specifically for Washington flood relief. Donations can be made at bit.ly/4qhc8wf.
