Storm to bring heavy rain to area devastated by North Bay wildfires

Byby Elissa Harrington KGO logo
Friday, April 6, 2018
Storm to bring heavy rain to area devastated by North Bay wildfires
Emergency officials will be monitoring the entire hillside community in the Fountaingrove neighborhood.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Rosa's city emergency crews say they're ready for this storm, calling the Fountaingrove area high risk for landslides.

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The creek that runs alongside Parker Hill Road in Santa Rosa was moving swiftly Friday morning.

A strengthening storm is expected to bring heavy rain to an area that was devastated in October's wildfires. Emergency officials will be monitoring the entire hillside community in the Fountaingrove neighborhood. There's risk of mudslides, flooding, and debris flow.

WATCH LIVE: Track the rain with Live Doppler 7

"We are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best," said Santa Rosa Assistance Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal. He says the city has been preparing for a powerful storm for the past six months.

"We knew that after the fire there was a potential for a significant storm to impact our burn area," said Lowenthal. "We have additional staffing on hand. We've got everything ready to go for not only emergencies in the burn area but emergencies around the city. So swift water rescue is ready."

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Firefighters and city crews are also monitoring the 1,400 storm drain inlets in the burn area. They put out gravel bags and buffers to trap debris and divert the flow of rain water.

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