Flash flood watch issued for Solimar burn area
A flash flood watch is in effect for the recent burn areas in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
Ventura County ended 2015 with a wildfire near Solimar Beach on Christmas Day. The Solimar fire burned more than 1300 acres. Residents nearby were asked to evacuate until fire fighters had full control of the fire.
Less than a month later, a rainstorm pushed debris and mud from Solimar down to US Highway 101.
Since then, multiple agencies and groups in Ventura County has prepared for another flash flood near the burn area.
“Yesterday we had a coordination meeting with the national weather service and all local police and fire agencies to talk about this rainfall event that’s occurring tonight. It’s going to be a gentle soaking rain for 12 hours or so. We expect to get 1-2 inches possibly 3 in the mountains,” said Bruce Rindahl, a manager for the Ventura County Watershed Protection District.
A flash flood watch does not mean there will be a flood. It means there is a potential for flooding if the conditions are right.
“The thing we worry about in the burn area is the intensity and we are worried about anything over half an inch per hour in the Solimar burn area. We’re not anticipating anything near that, maybe half the intensity so at this point,” said Rindahl.
The Ventura Fire Department staffed extra firefighters working on Thursday night going into Friday morning as a precaution for the rain storm.
