Cal OES Expands Prepositioning of Resources, Personnel to 15 Counties as Severe Winter Storm Impacts California

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As a series of winter storms impact California into next week, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has strategically prepositioned critical firefighting resources and personnel in 16 counties across the state.

Prepositioned resources are deployed in counties near burn scar areas, including Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Contra Costa, Lake, Monterey, Sonoma and El Dorado, Placer and San Bernardino, as well as major flooding concerns in Marin, Butte, Sacramento and Stanislaus counties.

The prepositioned resources include:

Pre-positioned at El Dorado Hills: OES: Bakersfield City Fire Department Swift Water Rescue TF11

Los Angeles County (Ranch 2/Lake/Bobcat Burn Scars): 1 Local Government Helicopter, 1 Local Government Hand Crew Type 2, 1 Local Government Dozer with Transport, 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue, 1 Dispatcher

Orange County (Bond Burn Scar): 5 OES Engines Type 3, 1 Local Government Dozer, 1 Local Government Helicopter,1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue, 1 Local Government Hand Crew Type 2

Santa Barbara County (Thomas/Alisal/Cave Burn Scars): 1 Local Government Rescue Task Force, 8 Local Government IMT Overhead, 1 Local Government Excavator, 1 Local Government Loader, 1 Local Government Road Grader, 1 Local Government Dispatcher

Ventura County (Thomas/Woolsey Burn Scars): 1 Local Government Hand Crew Type 1, 1 Local Government Dozer Type 2, 1 Local Government Dispatcher

Contra Costa County (CZU Lightning Burn Scar): 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 1 Local Government Hand Crew Type 2, 2 Dispatchers, 5 Local Government IMT Overhead

Lake County (August Complex Burn Scar): 1 Local Government Engine Type 2, 1 Local Government Engine Type 6, 2 Local Government IMT Overhead

Monterey County (Colorado Fire Burn Scar): 1 Local Government Engine Task Force; 1 Type 1 Engine, 3 Type 3 Engines, 2 Type 6 Engines, 8 Local Government IMT Overhead

Sonoma County (Tubbs/Glass/August Burn Scars): 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 2 Local Government Engines Type 6, 4 Dispatchers, 4 Local Government IMT Overhead, 2 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Teams

El Dorado County (Caldor Burn Scar): 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 1 OES Engine Type 3, 2 Local Government IMT Overhead, 2 Local Government Swift Water Rescue

Placer County (Mosquito/River Burn Scars): 3 Local Government Type 3 Engines, 1 Local Government Type 1 Engine, 2 Local Government Water Rescue Vehicles, 1 Local Government IMT Overhead

San Bernardino County (El Dorado/Apple Burn Scars): 1 Local Government Hand Crew Type 2IA, 2 Dispatchers,1 Local Government Loader with Transport, 1 Local Government IMT Overhead

Butte County: 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Team2 Local Government IMT Overhead

Sacramento County: 5 OES Engines Type 3, 2 Local Government Helicopters, 4 Dispatchers, 14 Local Government IMT Overhead, 1 OES Swift Water Rescue, 1 Local Government US&R Company

Stanislaus County: 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 1 Local Government Loader with Transport, 1 Local Government Dispatcher, 16 Local Government IMT Overhead

Marin County: 1 Local Government Regional Task Force, 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Team, 2 Dispatchers, 1 Local Government Loader with Transport

The National Weather Service is forecasting rain to continue today before another significant storm returns this weekend. Strong winds and the heaviest rainfall is expected to begin Saturday. Residual flooding impacts could linger into early next week.

The public is urged to be on the lookout for potential flooding and mudslides in areas recently burned by wildfires. A debris flow can take homes off their foundations and carry items such as vegetation, large boulders, and cars. If you live near or downslope of burn areas, you should have a plan to quickly evacuate your community if flash flooding or a mudslide were to happen. Learn more about being flood aware here.

For more from Cal OES, visit CalOES.ca.gov and follow us on Twitter @Cal_OES.