Evacuation warning in effect for parts of Madera County as some residents clean up from storm damage

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- An evacuation warning remained in effect for parts of Madera County on Monday afternoon.

Sheriff Tyson Pogue says residents in Zone 431 should be ready to leave their homes.

"We still are expecting, obviously, more weather," Pogue said. "And the more rain, the more moisture we get, the higher the risk is to that area. So, until the rain really stops, that warning will stay in effect."

The warning impacts dozens of residents across three streets in the Coarsegold area: Cavin and Holly Lanes and Mattie Fhy Road.

The burn scar left behind by wildfires makes the area susceptible to storms.

Without healthy trees and vegetation to stabilize the soil, all of the runoff flows down the mountain.

Residents here say they dealt with clogged culverts and debris-covered roads during last winter's storms.

While that hasn't happened so far, Sunday's steady downpour has taken a toll in other parts of Madera County.

Crews put their chainsaws to work at a Chowchilla home on Monday afternoon after a large tree toppled over, taking out part of the home's gutter.

"There was the tree just lying there on the patio," homeowner Laurie Harry said. "Thank God, no one was hurt. No major damage to the house. Some minor damage."

Harry says this is not how she and her husband planned to spend their 41st anniversary, but they know it could have been worse based on the powerful wind that whipped through the area on Sunday.

"It felt like a hurricane," she said. "Coming out there, it was like even hard to stand. It was blowing at us, and you could hear the wind just whistling through. Chairs were blowing over. Our hot tub cover fell off."

Palm trees were still swaying in downtown Madera Monday morning, and there was some standing water, too.

One flooded area was just a few feet from a location where residents could get sandbags.

"That's one of the best ways they can combat damage is to be prepared and be informed," Pogue said.

He says residents should also sign up for emergency alerts and check on their neighbors.

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