Fire-scarred California braces for more storms, flash floods

SAN FRANCISCO » Northern California residents relieved that this week’s rain helped contain stubborn wildfires and soaked dry gardens were cleaning up Friday and preparing for a massive storm this weekend that could bring flash flooding to vast areas scorched by fire.

A flood warning was posted in part of Siskiyou County bordering Oregon, where “local law enforcement reported debris flow and flooding on (a) roadway from excessive runoff,” according to the National Weather Service’s office in Medford, Oregon.

The NWS said elevations above 9,000 feet (2,745 meters) in the Sierra Nevada could get 18 inches of snow or more from Sunday until Monday morning and warned of possible power outages and road closures. The service also issued a flood watch for much of Northern California from Saturday night to 5 p.m. Monday.

Mike Pierre, owner of Mission Ace Hardware and Lumber in Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, said they sold out of tarps this week and expect to do so again in advance of Sunday’s big storm.

But there is a feeling of relief that the area could escape wildfire this year, unlike last year when the Glass Fire broke out in late September and destroyed nearly 1,600 homes and other buildings. Customers had been stocking up on generators and power cords to prepare, Pierre said.

“People were bracing for that and it never happened,” he said, “and hopefully, this rain will keep it from happening.”

But burn areas remain a concern, as land devoid of vegetation can’t soak up heavy rainfall as quickly, increasing the likelihood of mud or debris slides and flash flooding that could trap people.