With more rain and snow in the forecast, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is prepositioning swift water rescue resources and firefighting personnel across eight counties in central and northern California, including Monterey, Sonoma, Sutter, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Fresno, Merced and Tulare counties. Additional resources are deployed to fire departments in Lathrop/Manteca, Oakland and Ukiah in advance of this next round of ongoing winter storms.
The prepositioned resources include:
Prepositioned at Lathrop/Manteca Fire Department: OES: Lathrop/Manteca Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team 13
Prepositioned at Oakland Fire Department: OES: Oakland Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team 4
Prepositioned at Ukiah Fire Department: OES: Fresno City Fire Department Swift Water Rescue TF 19
Monterey County: 1 Local Government Engine Task Force: 1 Type 1 Engine, 3 Type 3 Engines, 2 Type 6 Engines, 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue (MNL Team 3), 10 Local Government IMT Overhead
Sonoma County (Tubbs/Glass/August Fire Scars): 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 2 Local Government Engines Type 6, 2 Local Government Dispatchers, 4 Local Government IMT Overhead, 1 Local Government Helicopter, 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Teams, 1 Local Government Loader with Transport
Sutter County: 5 Local Government Engines Type 6, 2 Local Government IMT Overhead
Calaveras County (Butte/Electra Fire Scars): 5 Local Government Engines Type 3, 2 Local Government Engines Type 6, 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Team, 4 Local Government IMT Overhead
Stanislaus County: 3 Local Government Engines Type 3, 1 Local Government Loader with Transport, 1 Local Government Dispatcher, 16 Local Government IMT Overhead
Fresno County: 1 Local Government Swift Water Team, 2 Local Government Engines Type 2, 1 Local Government IMT Overhead
Merced County: 2 Local Government Swift Water Team (Bakersfield Swift Water Rescue TF11, San Diego Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team 8)
Tulare County: 1 Local Government Swift Water Rescue Team, 18 Local Government IMT Overhead
The National Weather Service is forecasting rain and snow to return to central and northern California beginning today and through the weekend. The heaviest rainfall and snow is expected on Saturday, with successive days of dry weather ahead starting 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.