The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued several flash flood warnings so far this month to some residents in northern Butte and eastern Tehama counties.
The warnings ordered hundreds of Butte residents living downstream from Rock Creek, Mud Creek and Big Chico Creek to “move immediately to higher ground.” In Tehama, the affected areas were near Paynes Creek, Mill Creek, Deer Creek and Pine Creek.
Although no substantial flooding occurred, these areas could be impacted again this winter. Courtney Carpenter, a warning coordination meteorologist with NWS in Sacramento, said the Park Fire’s burn scar is increasing the risk of flash floods.
“What we worry about after a large wildfire is fast moving landslides that consist of mud, sand, soil, rock, anything that's on the slope,” Carpenter said. “When heavy rain falls over a slope, it can drain down into a creek or houses that are on the slopes.”
“There could be situations where the water is so intense, or a fire is moving so quickly, that we don’t have time to issue out warnings.”— Omar Peña, Captain of the Chico Police Department’s Support Division
This can create flash floods. Unlike normal floods, they usually last for shorter periods of time. But Carpenter said that they are no less dangerous, and “can be deadly.”
Captain of the Chico Police Department’s Support Division, Omar Peña, said that there are water diversion systems in place to mitigate the risk of a flash flood reaching Chico. However, it’s hard to say exactly how these systems will work this season.
The city is preparing for “the worst case scenario,” Peña said, which includes debris possibly clogging the diversion systems.
“That could cause a situation where there's a significant amount of water going into the diversion and we're overloading areas that weren't going to see that,” Peña said.
How to prepare for a flash flood?
Butte residents are advised to sign up for CodeRED, which is the county’s emergency mass notification system that sends warnings directly to electronic devices.
Butte County officials advise residents to take each warning seriously. Unprecedented conditions this winter may lead to several warnings being issued close together.
Chico city officials recommend that people remove loose debris around their homes that floods can pick up, as it can become hazardous. Officials also said sandbags, or canvas bags filled with sand, can be placed around homes that are at risk. The bags can help divert and hold back flood water if residents create a barrier with them.
Sand and sandbags can be found at hardware and construction supply stores. In Chico, Fire Station 41 also has sand and sandbags, though residents must bring their own shovels and are limited to 10 bags per vehicle. Additionally, Chico Municipal Services Center has sand available and residents can bring their own bag.
If evacuating, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group advises residents to always bring their animals. It’s also advised to make arrangements in advance with a friend or neighbor for them to pick up the pet in case no one is home at the time of an emergency.
Maps have also been made for several rural communities in Butte County outlining which roads should be used as emergency evacuation routes.
What to do during a flash flood?
The city plans to monitor potential flash floods and will issue warnings or evacuation orders if necessary.
There are hundreds of designated evacuation zones across Butte County. In the event of an emergency, each area would be evacuated depending on the level of danger in the zone.
Peña advises residents to stay situationally aware and to memorize their zone number ahead of any emergencies.
“This is one of those times where we’re going to have to come together as a community and help one another. If your neighbor needs help, please, please do so.”— Omar Peña, Captain of the Chico Police Department’s Support Division
Ideally, a warning would be given in advance of an evacuation order, but Peña said that doesn’t always happen.
“There could be situations where the water is so intense, or a fire is moving so quickly, that we don't have time to issue out warnings,” he said.
If an evacuation order is issued without a warning, the situation is likely escalating very quickly. Residents should immediately get themselves and their loved ones out of danger without spending time packing unnecessary items. If a warning is issued first, residents should stay on-guard and keep monitoring alerts.
Peña also said officials will try to reach out to people signed up for the Special Needs Awareness Program (SNAP). The program identifies those with access and functional needs, such as people with disabilities and the elderly, so they can be evacuated in emergency situations. But depending on the severity of the emergency, there may not be time to check on these people right away.
“This is one of those times where we're going to have to come together as a community and help one another,” Peña said. “If your neighbor needs help, please, please do so.”
What to do after a flash flood?
Edie Lohmann, an insurance specialist for the FEMA Region 9 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), said that residents should consider how they would recover from even a small flood.
“If you think about all the things that are sitting on the floor of your apartment, that's a lot of damage,” she said. “Most people aren't prepared to respond to that financially.”
As little as one or two inches of water in an average-sized home could cost up to $30,000 in damages, Lohmann said.
NFIP policies protect against flood-related damage. Both residential and commercial property owners can get a NFIP policy through a participating local insurance provider.
The contents inside of a building can be insured separately for both residential and commercial properties. Renters can opt for a plan that only covers their possessions. For residential buildings, $250,000 of property damage and $100,000 of destroyed possessions can be claimed. For commercial buildings, $500,000 of each can be claimed.
NFIP policies take 30 days to go into effect, Lohmann said. Residents should apply as soon as possible to be covered during this rainy season.
She said people often choose not to purchase flood insurance because they assume a Federal Disaster Assistance Program would become available after an emergency. But most flooding events are not declared federal disasters, Lohmann said, because they do not meet specific qualifications.
If a resident’s insurance does not offer NFIP policies, there is a national hotline that can provide a list of agencies in their area that are actively writing flood insurance policies.
Flooding can be dangerous and leave lasting damage, but with necessary precautions taken, residents can avoid harm to themselves and their homes.
