Firefighters still working to clean up after most recent storm and preparing for one on the way

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The cleanup from this week's rain continues as firefighters prepare for the next series of storms.

A large tree still sits leaning on a Central Fresno apartment complex, along with another tall tree after heavy rain uprooted it. Josh McLane lives across the street and says he saw the damage as it happened. "I was standing out here in the rain yesterday and I heard the cracking of the tree, and I was looking next door and I look straight across the street and I saw the tree fall into the house."

City officials said the owner of the apartment complex is still working to remove the tree as he finds temporary housing for the tenants.

Several straight days of rain and wind prompted many drivers to slow down and others to watch for flooding. "Rain was pretty hard, and I looked around and the water was up to the gutters, up to the curb and the gutter, so it was pretty heavy last night," said McLane.

The Fresno Fire Department said the heavy rain is bad news for trees dying from the last several years of drought. Crews are worried about dying branches that can't withstand the influx of water and wind. Wednesday firefighter Pete Martinez said a branch hit a power line. "Where it grounded out with some of the conduit of the home and you started getting some electrical appliances that started arcing and what not."

With another storm coming this weekend the Fresno Fire Department also wants to warn people to be careful when driving near canals or other waterways. Wednesday they responded to several calls where drivers flew off the road and into the water.

Fresno firefighters said the good news is most drivers this week tried to slow down in the rain, but not everyone took to the slippery roads cautiously. "We still had some vehicle accidents, and some of those vehicles ended up in the canal and, fortunately for them, they landed right-side up so they could get out safely on their own," said Martinez.

The clean-up from this week's storms could last several days. For 240 PG & E customers up in Dunlap, they woke up Thursday without any power after a power pole snapped during Wednesday's storm.