Paul Nerland, the county’s emergency services director, said residents can stay on top of developments by checking the county’s emergency website at.
The storm will be accompanied by thunderstorms that could intensify rain and be accompanied by higher wind gusts, Mattarochia said.īecause the soil is already saturated by recent rainstorms, even a small wind gust can be sufficient to knock over a tree or utility pole, he said.Īnd a thunderstorm cell could increase rainfall rates, “which can exacerbate the situation over some of these hot spots like Mill Creek, like the Kings River,” Mattarochia said. (Fresno County) Thunderstorms Intensify Rain More rain is forecast to arrive on Monday and continue next week, officials said.įresno County’s emergency operations center is currently at Level 1, the highest level, said emergency manager Terri Mejorado.įresno County Emergency Services asks the public to sign up for alerts from the Fresno County Sheriff’s office (via the QR codes above) and to heed all evacuation warnings. The initial flood danger will initially be on the eastern part of the county as the rain and snowmelt run downhill, but as the water moves across the Valley it could threaten west-side communities such as Mendota and Firebaugh over the next few days.Īnd the storm that’s beginning Thursday won’t be the last one. Officials cautioned all county residents about venturing out on roadways during the storm if it’s not absolutely necessary.
Residents should not try to cross flooded roads, he said: ” You don’t want to become part of the emergency.” The storms that hit in January and flooded roadways will look minuscule compared to the water and flooding produced by the new storm, which Hail said will be “tenfold” stronger. The agency has prepositioned six swift-water rescue teams to be ready to respond to emergencies, he said. Preparing for Rising WaterĬhief Dustin Hail of CalFire and Fresno County Fire said five crews have been clearing culverts and laying sandbags to protect flood-prone areas in the county and will be available to assist the public as needed. Those who decide to stay at home should be prepared to remain there with enough food and medications for at least several days if roads are washed out by floodwaters, he said. Once the water rises it may be difficult or impossible for emergency services workers to reach you, he said.
Zanoni said it’s better to relocate before the water starts rising, if you’re in a flood-prone area. Residents who live in low-lying areas such as the Reedley Mobile Home Park should be thinking now about moving to higher ground, officials said. The shelter, which is being operated by the Red Cross, will accommodate domesticated pets in kennels, but larger animals will need to go to the Fresno Fairgrounds in southeast Fresno. The county moved its evacuation shelter from Reedley College, which sits on the banks of the Kings River, to the Sanger Community Center, 730 Recreation Ave. “Right now, what we’re looking at is that large amount of snow is going to be melted in a record amount of time because it’s not just by heat, by sun, but it’s going to be melted because we’re having a warm storm come in here,” he said. Heavy rain on top of recent record snowfall at lower elevations could make for life-threatening flood conditions in the foothills and Valley, Zanoni said. ~90% of all flood-related damages occur on high-risk days.
BLUE FIRE FRESNO COUNTY UPGRADE
Very concerning to see the upgrade to high-risk (in pink) for flash flooding tomorrow across the Central Coast and foothills of the Sierra with the latest forecasts trending higher for snow levels and moisture. Sheriff John Zanoni announced Thursday that the county expanded the evacuation warning area, which previously encompassed all the foothills from the Madera County line south to Tulare County, and now follows the Kings River from Pine Flat through the Sanger area, Reedley and southward to Tulare County.
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