Flood prone communities are using the drought months to get ready for future large rain storms

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Flood control officials for years have said the best time to prepare for flooding is when it is dry.  There's no doubt this is the driest period in anyone's recent recollection.

The special Flood Preparedness week takes place this week and it  began in 2012.

The effort highlights the importance of preparing for potential flooding. 

California is entering the fourth year of an extreme drought.

Conservation is important and many public information signs are up with those messages in local communities.

Experts say it is also a time to prepare for a weather shift. They warn, flooding can happen at any time, "even during drought years.”

The State Department of Housing Resources says California has been declared a federal flood disaster area at least once in the last 20 years.California experiences many types of flooding: alluvial fan, debris flow, riverine, coastal, tsunami, flash, and localized floods.Without proper preparedness, lives, homes, infrastructure and agriculture are lost, and damage to the environment and economy is likely. It's recommended that property owners take three basic steps:

• Be aware of your risk: Know whether your home is in a flood zone; pay attention to weather forecasts; and listen to local authorities.
• Be prepared: Always have an emergency evacuation kit ready; be prepared to evacuate early; have a household inventory with copies of critical documents; and have a plan for where you will go in an emergency and what to do with your pets.
• Take action: Evacuate immediately when advised to. Also, homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage due to flooding; consider purchasing flood insurance.

For more information go to: The Santa Barbara County Flood Control District

  (More details will be added here later today)