How California officials are responding to flooding and extreme snow

AccuWeather

Corbin Farias, with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, explains how they've prepared to stop debris flows in burn scars and respond to rescue calls for flooding.

Transcript

00:00Across California, the atmospheric river is bringing several kinds of extreme weather to the state.

00:04Corbin Farias is a public information officer for Cal OES.

00:08That is the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

00:12Thanks so much for joining us, Corbin.

00:14I know it's been a very busy time out there, and you keep kind of an eye on the cross-section

00:18of all sorts of hazards that can impact residents of California.

00:23In Southern California, heavy rains could bring mudslides and rockslides

00:26to areas damaged by the wildfires last month.

00:28How are your teams working to get ahead of any possible damage?

00:33Yes, so since the beginning of the fires, Cal OES has been actively

00:37working to pre-position resources and also get crews out there

00:41to help support communities that have been affected by the LA fires.

00:44One essential element of that is the Cal OES Watershed and Debris Flow Task Force,

00:49and they have laid over 120 miles of emergency protective materials.

00:53These are called compost socks, straw waddles, to help filter out any runoff

00:58from burn structures from entering California waterways, so protecting the environment.

01:03We've also done a lot of work to secure materials like K-rails,

01:06which are kind of used to divert traffic, but we got those for local governments

01:10so that they can use them to divert potential debris flows in burn scarred areas.

01:16And in Northern California today, there are more than 60 reports of flooding so far.

01:20How are your teams responding to these events?

01:24So we have Swift Water Rescue Teams and U.S. Urban Search and Rescue Teams

01:28that are on the ground in Northern California to help protect the people of Northern California.

01:33And also, while the San Francisco and the Bay Area remain under a flood watch until Friday,

01:40these are really important elements that we have already pre-deployed

01:43to help support the community.

01:46And also today, there is heavy snow into the Sierra Nevadas.

01:50Snow not just inches, but feet and feet of this in the highest elevations.

01:53What kind of challenges does this winter weather bring to Cal OES planning?

01:58Yes, so you're right.

02:00Two to five feet of snow above 6,000 feet in our Sierra Nevadas.

02:05And you know, this snowfall is good.

02:07You know, the snow is good for California because it helps our snowpack,

02:11which then helps our water supply.

02:13And so we're looking at this from a measure of how are we going to continue

02:18to secure our water supply.

02:19And then also, it is important to recognize that there is that heavy snow.

02:24And so avoid any unnecessary travel if you are planning to go to the mountains.

02:29And then also, you can look at the Caltrans QuickMap app to see live information

02:34about road closures in the Sierras and all throughout California.

02:38All right.

02:38Corbin Farias with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

02:43Corbin, thanks so much for your insight

02:45and all you're doing to keep people in California safe.

02:48Thank you for having me.

02:50Our pleasure.

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