At 7:00 pm on Thursday, water being released from Pine Flat Lake may be flowing into the Kings River at a rate of approximately 14,600 cubic feet per second (cfs). This means there is an increased potential for flooding in some areas of Fresno County.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is monitoring areas known to be most susceptible to flooding due to elevation and proximity to the Kings River.
This includes the following locations:
1) Kings River Road between Manning Avenue and Parlier Avenue in Reedley, just west of Reedley College and the river. It impacts approximately 10 homes, as well as the Hauli Huvila campground.
2) The Wildwood subdivision located near N. Piedra Road and Wilderness Road in Sanger. In this area, approximately three dozen homes in particular are situated close to the Kings River.
3) The Riverbend Mobile Home Park located at 17604 E. Kings Canyon Road in Sanger. This entire property has 39 homes and 56 people.
On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuation notices for people living in the rear portion of the property. This partial closure remains in effect and impacts approximately 12 homes and 15 people. On Thursday, PG&E turned off electricity on this portion of the property due to safety concerns. The front portion of the Riverbend Mobile Home Park remains under an evacuation warning.
The American Red Cross has established an evacuation shelter for residents. It is located at Reedley High School, 740 W. North Ave. in Reedley. The Central California Animal Disaster Team (CCADT) has also setup an emergency shelter there for household animals. Anyone needing help with evacuating their animals can contact CCADT at (559) 433-9663. If residents in the impacted areas would like sand bags, they are available for free at the Fresno County Yard located at Olive and McCall Aves.
The Sheriff’s Office will continue to monitor all areas of the county for possible flood situations. The public is encouraged to report any potential flooding they become aware of by calling dispatchers at (559) 600-3111.
Due to public safety concerns, the Kings River, from Pine Flat Dam to the Tulare and Kings County lines, continues to be closed to all recreational users. The Sheriff’s Office is strictly enforcing this closure and violators will be subject to citations. This infraction comes with a fine of $225.00.
The public can check the hourly flows from Pine Flat Dam by visiting http://www.spk-wc.usace.army.mil/fcgi-bin/hourly.py?report=pnf
Explanation of terms
A mandatory evacuation means there are significant safety concerns and it’s recommended that residents leave the area. Residents are not required by law to leave, but it’s important to note that by staying, the person assumes all responsibility for their own safety. Once a person does leave, they will not be allowed to return to their property until the mandatory evacuation is lifted.
An evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life and property from an emergency incident that is imminent. Residents should be making preparations to leave their homes at a moment’s notice. The Sheriff’s Office tries to issue these warnings as early as possible so residents will have time to remove their pets, livestock, large boats, RVs and any other personal effects in an orderly, unrushed manner. However, because flooding can be unpredictable, the time frame between an evacuation warning and a mandatory evacuation can change quickly, so residents must be prepared to go at any time. People living in an area under an evacuation warning are still allowed to go in and out of the property.
