After the latest storm to move through Santa Barbara County brought only minor flooding, fire officials are urging residents to prepare for the possibility of more rain.
Mike Gray, a public information officer with Santa Barbara County Fire, said the limited flooding was surprising, but additional storms could be on the way with El Nio.
Usually we expect more, but we do expect more storms coming up with El Nio, Gray said.
For Julian Romero, who has lived along Carpinteria Creek for 40 years, the threat of flooding is familiar. He said he has seen the creek rise during heavy rainfall and that sandbags do not always provide enough protection.
We usually get sandbags for the rain, but sometimes it just isnt enough, Romero said.
Gray said residents can take steps to reduce the risk of flooding, including preparing their homes and clearing drains, gutters, and culverts to ensure water can flow properly.
Get your house ready, clean out your drains and gutters, make sure any culverts you have are cleared out, so the water can run out where its supposed to run, Gray said.
Fire officials also encourage residents to sign up for emergency alerts here to stay informed about potential hazards and severe weather.