SAN DIEGO - The Atmospheric River System continues to dump rain and snow across the state, bringing the potential for flooding and the need for water rescues.
So far, the Central Coast and Northern California has been hit the hardest. Members of the San Diego Fire's Technical Rescue Team are in Cameron Park in El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, ready to help with whatever emergency residents are facing.
“The grounds are saturated. There are trees that are falling, mud and debris that are blocking roadways into residents from burned-out areas,“ San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Aide Barbat told NBC 7.
The burn scars are a concern because of the potential for mudslides. High winds can also bring down trees, adding to the debris flows.
While the team is trained in swift water rescues, it's a dangerous part of their job.
“So many unknowns out there. Things can just drastically change at a moment’s notice — you may not be expecting or you may not even see coming at you. Those are the things my team is facing and having to constantly be aware of,“ said Chief Barbat.
The team, joined by a group of a firefighters from Bakersfield, will be in the area for the next 14 to 21 days.
The San Diego River was just under four feet Tuesday morning after the recent rounds of rain, but the National Weather Service expecting the river to crest at about 8.5 feet, in what officials call the action stage, where mud and debris flows start to really pick up. The river's flood stage is just above 11 feet. We haven't seen water levels that high since April of 2020.
This ongoing storm system, which started back before New Year's Eve, isn't over yet. The storm is set to bring more rain, high winds and high surf, something we've already seen at some San Diego beach communities.