The National Weather Service advises that a series of three storms is expected to make landfall in Ventura County beginning Tuesday, January 5. The first storm system is forecasted to hit Ventura County early Tuesday morning into the evening and may bring 1.4 – 2.5 inches of rain to the area. Rainfall rates up to .25 inches per hour are possible in some areas raising concern for post-fire debris flow. The second and third storms are expected to make landfall Wednesday into Friday with the potential of significant rainfall of 2 to 4 inches.

Residents are advised to use caution as possible impacts include mud/debris flows in recent burn areas, slick roadways, urban flooding, gusty winds and winter storm conditions in the high mountains with heavy snow.

Sand and sandbags are available to Ventura residents, at the following locations (please bring your own shovel):

City of Ventura, Maintenance Yard, 336 Sanjon Road. Ventura City Fire Station #1, 717 N. Ventura Avenue. Ventura City Fire Station #6, 10797 Darling Road.

Please contact Chris Palmieri, Public Works Supervisor, for more information on sand bags, 805.652.4521, [email protected]

High Surf

High surf advisory remains in effect until 10 pm PST Thursday, January 7, 2016. Surf is anticipated to build to 5 to 8 feet with sets to 10 feet by Tuesday. The highest surf is anticipated on west facing beaches. As a larger swell arrives by midweek surf will build to 8 to 12 feet on Wednesday and 10 to 15 feet on Thursday. Higher sets will be possible near Ventura Harbor. Large powerful waves and strong currents will create a risk of ocean drowning. Sneaker waves can suddenly overrun previously dry beaches and jetties. Flooding of low lying beach parking lots, harbor walkways and beach campgrounds will be possible especially during the middle of the week. High tides will be large enough by midweek to increase the risk of coastal flooding. A high surf advisory means that high surf and rip currents will make entering the water or climbing on rock jetties dangerous. Remember if caught in a rip current swim parallel to shore until you are free of the powerful current.

The Ventura Pier remains closed.

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy invites volunteers to plant trees on January 16 & 18

On Sat., Jan. 16 and Mon., Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy (VHC) will host community tree planting events at the Big Rock Preserve near Foster Park. VHC invites volunteers of all ages to join them from 9 a.m. – 12 noon along the Ventura River Parkway to help plant oaks, cottonwoods and sycamore trees on property owned and managed by VHC.

VHC, a local non-profit land trust organization, was awarded grant funding by the County of Ventura’s Resource Management Agency for the purchase and planting of 500 trees.  In late 2015, they planted the first 250 trees and in the coming months, will plant the remaining 250.  On Monday, Jan 19, VHC will plant 86 trees on what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.’s 86th birthday.

“We welcome old friends and new volunteers to help us beautify our preserve” said Derek Poultney, VHC executive director. “We are hoping to get the trees firmly established before the big rains come.”

The 17- acre Big Rock Preserve is a collection of five properties owned by VHC. The name Big Rock comes from a once-popular swimming hole on the property that was home to a large boulder before floods swept it away. Though the boulder is gone, the water remains. Due to the unique geology of the area, the Big Rock preserve is one of the only places along the Ventura River that has year-round water. The area is home to endangered steelhead trout, as well as western pond turtles, herons, deer, red-legged frogs and bobcats.

To RSVP for either tree planting event, visit www.venturahillsides.org and click on the Events tab. For more information, call VHC at 643-8044.

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is dedicated to preserving and providing access to Ventura’s hillsides and the Ventura River.  Founded in 2003, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is supported by over 400 members, local business and government partners.  The land trust currently owns 26 acres of land but is actively purchasing hillside property on the Walker-Hearne Ranch in east Ventura. Further information about the Conservancy is at: www.venturahillsides.org.

Sand and sandbags available to Ventura residents, at the following locations:

• City of Ventura, Sanjon Mainentance Yard: 336 Sanjon Road
• Ventura City Fire Station #1: 717 N. Ventura Avenue
• Ventura City Fire Station #6: 10797 Darling Road (near Wells Road, across from Saticoy Golf Course)

In preparation of expected heavy rain, the City of Ventura is providing residents sand and sandbags. Please bring your own shovel to any of these temporary locations.

Contact Chris Palmieri, Public Works Supervisor for more information, 805-652-4521, cpalmieri@cityofventura.net or Rick Guzman, Environmental Services Division Secretary at 805-652-4525, rguzman@cityofventura.net.

If you observe mud / debris in city streets or other non-emergency flooding problems, call Ventura Public Works at 805-652-4525 during regular business hours. On-call Public Works staff are also prepared to respond to emergency flooding situations outside normal work hours.

On Dec.30, at 5:20 pm, a resident of Cabrillo Village, 1515 S. Saticoy Ave. arrived home to find smoke and flames coming out of a front window and lapping at the eaves above the entrance to her home.  Firefighters arrived on scene to find the residence completely charged with smoke.  As they advanced into the building they discovered a television and other electronics burning in the living room.  Firefighters shut off the electricity and gas to the building and extinguished the fire with hose lines.

Extensive smoke damage was found throughout the entire residence.  Two adults were displaced from their home and were assisted with temporary relocation by the American Red Cross.  No injuries were reported as a result of this incident.  The fire cause was determined to be an electrical malfunction.

Our beloved pier is finally getting some much-needed TLC after the amazingly brutal waves we had recently

On Dec.29, at 3:12pm a resident working in his backyard was startled by popping sounds and a large head of smoke coming from his garage. The homeowner had an extinguisher and attempted to put out the blaze, but the fire moved quickly and was not extinguished.

Ventura City Fire Firefighters responded to the home in the 2000 block of Channel Dr. in midtown and discovered a large Bougainvillea hedge had ignited on the roof of the structure and was burning into the roof structure. Firefighters arrived in four minutes, laddered the building, and extinguished the fire. Firefighters also searched other parts of the dwelling and the adjacent house to ensure the fire was just contained to the unattached garage. The fire burned through two skylights and ignited part of the roofing material, but the interior of the garage was checked with a thermal imaging camera, and it was evident the fire was solely contained to the roof.

Ventura Police provided for traffic control. The fire investigation revealed the flu from a cast iron stove that was being used to heat the garage, put out enough heat and sparks to catch the adjacent hedge on fire. Ventura Firefighters cleared debris and temporarily sealed the roof assembly until the homeowner could replace the skylights.

On Dec.19, at 12:54pm  a four door sedan was traveling West bound on Aurora, when for unknown reasons, it lost control and went head on into a light pole. The light pole fractured and came to rest on top of the vehicle.

The occupant, in his 70’s, experienced mild chest pain from the accident, and was in minimal distress. As firefighters approached the vehicle, they used an electric volt meter and determined that the pole was still energized with electricity and had the occupants stay in the vehicle while they performed an assessment.

Southern California Edison was summoned. Ventura Police performed traffic mitigation, isolation of the area, and performed a traffic investigation.

Edison workers terminated the electrical hazard and the patient was removed from the vehicle and further assessed. The patient was not transported to the hospital.

 All incidents involving energized powerlines should be approached with the utmost caution. If energized powerlines are on top of a vehicle, ensure all occupants stay in the car until the power can be controlled or carefully removed by fire personnel. 

by John Pierpont

Just before 7pm on Christmas night, a wind driven wildfire started on the North West slope of Arroyo Verde Park near the middle of the recreational area. The fire was on a hill, approximately 100ft X 100ft in size and was in deep chaparral and trees spreading at a moderate speed. The Ventura Fire Department was currently on or responding to multiple emergencies in the city prior to the fire and one engine was available in the city to respond. A Ventura City engine, en route to another emergency, diverted to Arroyo Verde Park and arrived within two minutes of the initial alarm, established a water supply, and initiated a direct attack. Fire crews from the Ventura County Fire Department responded into the city from Camarillo, Rincon, and Oxnard to provide automatic aid. Crews worked in two divisions, surrounded the fire, used power tools to cut trees and place a control line around the fire. A fire hydrant, in close proximity, provided ample water—which significantly aided efforts to stop and control the blaze.

Ventura Police secured the park and provided traffic control, providing clear entry for fire equipment. The fire was knocked down within 35 minutes and fully extinguished in 90 minutes. The fire was contained to less than a quarter acre in. The fire was started by human activity, no evidence at the scene indicated whether the fire was set intentionally. The incident is currently under review by a Ventura Fire arson investigator. If anyone has any information in regard to suspicious activity in Arroyo Verde Park, please contact the Ventura Police Department.