California braces for a week of storms
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- El Niño rain is now hitting most of the state and officials have a close eye on old wildfire burn areas across California.
The Rough Fire burn scar is a huge concern for people living along highway 180 In the mountains east of Fresno. Mudslides are expected to be a major problem if heavy rains soak the area.
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In Southern California, people living in Glendora where fires also burned this summer are taking extra precautions in case of mudslides. And in Ventura County crews in Camarillo Springs are trying to shore up a hillside that came sliding down about a year ago to make sure it doesn't happen during this week's storms.
Crews around Fresno and Clovis are getting ready for possible floods around town this week. The Flood Control District says each of the nearly 160 ponding basins in the area can handle anywhere from three to six inches of rain. Nearly 80 pumps have been moving water from one ponding basin to another in anticipation of heavy rain.
Officials say the basins were cleared at the beginning of the season so crews can now focus on El Niño. "The key really is a sequence of storms. How quickly do they come in, day after day, or if you have a break. We like to see a couple day break in between so we can move a lot of water out of one basin to make it ready again," said Alan Hofmann, Metropolitan Flood Control District.
Officials say they have 15 portable pumps on standby Tuesday morning. They'll be sent to flooded areas to pump the water into the nearest ponding basin.
