Advisory
News Story - Community Preparation for Significant Rainstorm (English to Spanish translation attached)
| Nature of Incident: | Community Preparation for Significant Rainstorm | ||
| Location: | Thomas Fire burn area – Western Ventura County | ||
| Date & Time: | March 20, 2018 | ||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Ventura County Fire Department, Ventura County Public Works, County Chief Executive Office | ||
| Narrative: | |||
| This week, Southern California is expecting a strong storm system that is forecast to bring significant rainfall to Ventura County. As the storm has moved closer to the region, the rainfall rates have been estimated to bring intensities that will exceed the thresholds for debris flows in the Thomas Fire burn area. The storm will arrive Tuesday afternoon with light rain steadily increasing through the overnight hours into Thursday morning. The highest rain intensities are expected between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. The storm will gradually taper off Thursday. Due to the high potential for mud and debris flows, the following mandatory evacuations will take effect on March 20, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.: Matilija Canyon (North of Ojai Valley) North Fork (North of Ojai Valley) Vista Fire Burn Area (South end of Ojai Valley) Nye Road, West: Hwy 33, South: Nye/Hwy 33 La Conchita Voluntary evacuations will also take effect in the following areas on March 20, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.: Casitas Pass Road / East: Santa Ana Road / West: Rincon Road Ojai Road / East: Thomas Aquinas / West: Reeves Road Ojai Road / North: Thomas Aquinas / South: Bridge Road East Ojai / West: Gridley Road / East: Reeves Road A map of the evacuation zones can be viewed at http://www.vcemergency.com. Many areas in the county are susceptible to mudslides even without the impact the Thomas Fire has had on hillsides. The Thomas Fire has stripped hundreds of square miles of mountains and hillsides leaving no vegetation to hold the soil in place. According to geologists, who have surveyed the burn area, the incoming storm could bring enough rain to cause mud and debris flows in areas that were impacted by the Thomas Fire. Members of the community need to be aware that debris flows can occur suddenly and without warning. In anticipation of this and other storms this season, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Ventura County Public Works have acquired thousands of sandbags to distribute to local residents and business owners so they can help protect their properties from mud and debris flows. The sandbags are being distributed through Ventura County fire stations in and around the Thomas Fire burn area, and they will have supplies on hand so residents can also fill sandbags in the event the pre-filled bags run out. Residents can get sandbags from local fire stations during normal business hours. When they are not involved in an emergency response, firefighters will be available to assist residents. Ventura City residents can learn where to receive sand bags by visiting www.cityofventura.ca.gov. The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services will open its Emergency Operations Center Tuesday morning, and has held planning meetings in advance of this rain event with our partner agencies, such as the Ventura County Fire Department, Ventura County Public Works, County Chief Executive Office, city leaders throughout the region, and the American Red Cross. Residents need to be prepared to evacuate if necessary. We had great success with our notification systems during the Thomas Fire, but no system is perfect. Be aware, stay tuned-in and help your neighbors, friends and families stay up to date. If you are in an evacuation zone, a Red Cross shelter has been established at Ventura Community College 4667 Telegraph Road in Ventura. During this storm, residents can get the most up-to-date information about road closures and any areas impacted by the storm at the following website: http://www.vcemergency.com Additional information about storm preparation can be found at the following website: http://venturacountyrecovers.org/category/rain-ready/. The website also contains an interactive map produced by the United States Geological Survey that shows the potential debris flow hazard for areas in and around the Thomas Fire burn area. Be sure to sign up for www.vcalert.org for direct notification on evacuations and others emergencies. City of Ventura residents can go to www.cityofventura.ca.gov for local information. City of Ojai residents can go to www.ojaicity.org City of Santa Paula residents can go to www.ci.santa-paula.ca.us/ |
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| Prepared by: | Sgt. Eric Buschow | ||
| News Release Date: | March 19, 2018 | ||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Sgt. Eric Buschow (805)947-8129 [email protected] |
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| Approved by: |
Captain Garo Kuredjian |
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511