COUNTY RESIDENTS STILL WITHOUT POWER IN COBB
>> Sheriff Howe declared a local emergency on Feb. 5, 2024, due to impacts from the winter storms, including excessive rainfall, high winds, and snow, resulting in downed trees and power lines, flooding, and other serious damage across the County. Meanwhile, as of press time Wednesday, PGE reported residents in Cobb, traditionally one of the hardest areas for emergency access, were still waiting restoration. Some residents in Clearlake reported experiencing nearly a week of outages in the wake of what officials called the single most powerful day storm (Sunday) to hit the area in years.
County officials noted that fire, Public Works and utility crews are hard at work clearing roads, assessing and prioritizing repairs and restoring or maintaining utilities. Lake County residents were urged to refrain from unnecessary travel, treat all downed lines as live and report emergencies and to check in on neighbors or family, especially those without power or who may not have access the internet and/or phone.
Officials added that the Lake County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services continues to monitor the weather and coordinate with responders across the county. “Your help with the steps above will help everyone stay safe and fire, and Public Works and utility crews can prioritize restoration or clearing incidents,” they noted.
According to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office, California has mobilized a record 8,500 state-coordinated, prepositioned emergency response assets that are ready to respond to potential flooding, landslides, travel impacts and 911 calls.
The Cobb Community Center (Little Red Schoolhouse), with support from Mountain Lions Club volunteers is now open as a warming center due to the ongoing power outage and winter storm damages. According to information posted on their social media channels, Located at 15780 Bottle Rock Rd, Cobb, CA 95426, volunteers will staff this Center
from 8 AM to 6 PM daily until further notice. The public is welcome to come in, charge devices, warm up and access other services.
PG&E response
According to a PG&E spokesperson in response to queries regarding localized damage and restoration efforts, at press time there were 3,200 customers without power in the county. On Tuesday PG&E reported 18 customers without power in the city of Clearlake, 30 in Clearlake Oaks, and about 1,200 in Cobb, 111 in Loch Lomond, 58 in Lower Lake and 196 in Lakeport.
Residents in neighboring Mendocino County also reported multiple days of power outages in the region, as far north as Wesport.
“The storm which hit PG&E's service area was incredibly strong,” said PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland, adding that Cobb was heavily impacted but that crews numbering about 3,000 were working to restore areas by tomorrow (Thursday,) while others in other areas of the county with more difficult access would be the focus after assessment of damages on Thursday. “Following the sheer intensity of damage after the storm, one issue is access, there are a lot of remote locations, and we cannot (easily) get to them,” said McFarland.
McFarland added that in the North Coast region at least three large poles were knocked down in remote areas and the utility had to employ a helicopter to make the repairs. She referred residents to the PG&E outage map at https://pgealerts. alerts.pge.com/outage-tools/ outage-map/ to get an estimate of expected restoration dates and times.
Damaged residential and commercial primary structures
Lake County residents and business owners who have sustained damage to their primary structure are encouraged to participate in a damage assessment. This damage assessment is needed to identify potential pathways for assistance from the State of California and/or federal government. If your home or business sustained moderate to major damage, please report damages by visiting https:// lakesheriff.com/1448/Response or call the Community Development Department at (707) 263-2221 during regular business hours.
This is not an application for assistance, and it is possible that no assistance will become available. The information gathered may also be used for various post-incident reports and future emergency planning.
Staying prepared and safe travel
Lake County OES pinned a post with important links to help you stay informed on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lakecountyoes. Additional winter weather systems may impact the County before winter turns to spring, residents are encouraged to stay prepared. Steps may include:
• Maintain at least a half tank of gas at all times;
• Maintain drinking water, non-perishable food items and medications on hand;
• Keep phones and other electronic devices charged;
• Keep cash on hand, as electronic payment systems may go down; and,
• Ensure drainage systems on your property are free of debris.
Boaters urged to use caution when boating throughout Clear Lake due to floating and submerged debris hazards
Users of Clear Lake are advised to exercise extra caution when operating motorboats throughout Clear Lake during the months of February and March 2024, due to floating and submerged debris hazards resulting from Atmospheric River storm events that occurred January 31 through the first week in February.
Floating and submerged debris such as trees, branches, full or partial floating docks, trash, and other objects can cause significant damage if hit or come in contact with boats operating at normal to significant speed. Lake County Water Resources Department advises boaters to maintain a safe speed and keep a clear line of vision ahead of their vessel, especially during times of fog or mist.
The Water Resources Department, in coordination with Lake County Marine Patrol, Department of Public Services and the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake, are combining efforts to remove and dispose of debris and hazards. However, this will be a long, ongoing process and boaters should remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings and maintain a safe, slower speed when boating in Clear Lake.
For questions regarding this topic, or to report in-lake hazards such as debris, floating docks, or missing or found hazard buoys, please contact the Water Resources Department at (707) 263-2344 or email at water.resources@lakecountyca.gov.