Flash flood warning expires for Rim Fire burn area

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A flash flood warning was issued for the Rim Fire burn area in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties on Sunday. The National Weather Service said mud and rock slides were likely in several spots through 7 p.m.; that's when the warning expired.

The flames burned more than 400 square miles in Mariposa and Tuolumne counties last August -- making it the third largest wildfire in California history. This is the aftermath of the massive Rim Fire -- millions of dead trees dotting the hillsides of the Stanislaus National Forest and parts of Yosemite National Park. The lack of vegetation on the ground means heavy rain can do some real damage.

"If we get major storms this winter, a lot of these slopes, there's going to be landslides, there's going to be roads that plug up the culverts no matter how much work the Forest Service has done," said John Buckley, the executive director of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center. "And it will cause huge amount of sediment to flow into Don Pedro Reservoir in particular. It means less water storage, and California needs water storage, it also needs water quality contamination."

Groveland District Ranger Jim Junette recently explained the work that was done soon after the fire to minimize the impact from storms.

"They hydro mulched about 4,000 acres, and that means they dropped hay from helicopters. That seems to be holding up very well," said Junette. "We've replaced a lot of culverts and done drainage structures to concentrate water off areas that are sensitive to flow."

Junette told Action News over the phone Sunday afternoon that the U.S. Forest Service was concerned about possible flash floods this weekend. Staff members were pulled out of potentially dangerous areas.

The National Weather Service says anyone who sees moving soil or large amounts of water should get to higher ground immediately.