Cal Fire meets in Oroville to prepare for potential flood risk in Butte County

OROVILLE, California – The Cal Fire-Butte District held a meeting to discuss the potential risk of flooding occurring in the burn scar areas of the park.

This summer, the park fire burned 429,000 acres in Butte and Tehama counties, leaving a huge scar. Cal Fire has been active throughout Butte County conducting prescribed fires to reduce vegetation as a preventative measure for future fires.

Because there is no vegetation or barriers to absorb the soil, water and precipitation will flow directly into these areas, potentially causing flooding in places like Chico.

There are three drainage channels of major concern: Rock Creek, Mud Creek and Big Chico Creek.

Law enforcement can’t be everywhere at once, so they’re asking people to report anything they hear or see about increased water flow. Often the public learns about a flood before the authorities do.

To stay safe and prepared, community members can purchase sandbags to shore up their living spaces, pack an evacuation bag, and take any weather warnings seriously.