CENTRAL CALIFORNIA — The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Flash Flood Watch for a wide area of the central and southern Sierra from 4 a.m. today through 4 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. A strong and moist Pacific storm will bring widespread rain to much of the area Friday. Periods of moderate to heavy rain will lead ...

MARIPOSA — The Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) has personnel ready to respond if needed to assist in the Oroville area as thousands evacuate the area below the dam. Just before 5 p.m. yesterday, residents of Oroville and surrounding communities along the Feather River were ordered to leave immediately as officials feared the auxiliary spillway at the Oroville dam was ...

YOSEMITE — Visitors planning to visit Yosemite National Park on Friday, Feb. 10, are encouraged to delay arrival until after noon due to overnight storm activity. Storm systems coming through Yosemite National Park are expected to result in heavy rain. Water and debris may be washed into roadways, say park officials. The El Portal Road (Highway 140), Wawona Road (Highway ...

NORTH FORK — Senator Tom Berryhill visited Eastern Madera and Mariposa Counties today, to survey the wide-spread damage done by recent torrential rains. The heavy downpours, coupled with massive tree mortality, have cause major damage all across his district, which stretches from Amador on the north to Tulare on the south. Madera County District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler was Berryhill’s ...

SACRAMENTO – Today’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) manual snow survey at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada range found a snow water  equivalence of 28.1 inches, a significant increase since the Jan. 3 survey, when just 6 inches was found there. The average as measured at Phillips since 1964 is 18.4 inches. Snow water equivalence is the depth of ...

SACRAMENTO – Residents of California who live in State Responsibility Areas (SRA), have been required for the past five years to pay an annual Fire Prevention Fee — which many consider an illegal tax — on each habitable structure. Assembly Member Frank Bigelow, R-O’Neals and Senator Tom Berryhill, R-Twain Harte have introduced AB 211 to require an annual report be ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – Anyone taking to the mountain highways over the weekend should avoid any unwanted delays by making sure there are traction devices in their vehicle. Chain control is now in place on Highway 41 from three miles north of Coarsegold (the bottom of Deadwood) to Yosemite National Park (R2 – see below). The location could change as conditions warrant. ...

YOSEMITE — The El Portal Road (Highway 140) into Yosemite National Park has reopened to all vehicular traffic, with delays. The road is open one lane, with controlled traffic, and visitors are asked to not stop along the road en route to Yosemite Valley. The road may close again at any time in the event of hazardous driving conditions. The ...

YOSEMITE — The El Portal Road (Highway 140) into Yosemite National Park has reopened to all vehicular traffic. according to park officials. The road is open and clear, yet visitors are asked to not stop along the road en route to Yosemite Valley. The road may close again at any time in the event of hazardous driving conditions. The Hetch ...

EL PORTAL — The El Portal Road (Highway 140) into Yosemite National Park has reopened to all traffic following a rockfall that occurred during early Sunday morning. The road is anticipated to stay open, with controlled traffic, throughout the day. However, the road will close this evening at 6 p.m. to all vehicular traffic based on weather and rockfall concerns. ...