City of Oroville - Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

Butte County Evacuation Map

What if I need to evacuate?

• Be familiar with routes in and out of your area. Practice driving these routes during the day and at night.
• Does your community have an evacuation plan and map?
• Do you live in one of the evacuation zones?
• Follow instructions given by public safety officials, Sign up for Emergency Mass Notifications here.
• Be ember aware.
• Do you have a go bag? Put it in your vehicle and back into the driveway or garage with vehicle loaded and all doors and windows closed.
• Do you have animals? Be prepared to take them with you.
• Alert family and neighbors.
• Shut all windows and doors.
• Remove flammable window shades and lightweight curtains. Close metal shutters.
• Move flammable furniture to the center of the room.
• Shut off gas at the source (meter or tank). Turn off pilot lights and propane tanks. Move propane BBQs and appliances away from structures.
• Leave lights on indoors and outdoors so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions.
• Shut off the air conditioning.
• Connect garden hoses to outside water valves or spigots for use by firefighters. Fill water buckets and place them around the house.
• Don’t leave sprinklers on or water running, this can affect critical water pressure.
• Have a ladder available and place it at the corner of the house so firefighters can quickly access roof.
• Leave gates open for access.
• Monitor the fire situation, if you feel threatened, don’t wait for an evacuation order, leave.

What does it all mean?

Immediate Evacuation Order:
Requires the immediate movement of people out of an affected area due to an imminent threat to life. Choosing to stay could result in loss of life. Staying may also impede the work of emergency personnel. Due to the changing nature of the emergency, this Immediate Evacuation Order may be the only warning that people in the affected area (s) receive.

Evacuation Warning:
Alerts people in an affected area (s) of potential threat to life and property. People who need additional time should consider evacuating at this time. An Evacuation Warning considers the probability that an area will be affected and prepares people for a potential Immediate Evacuation Order.

Shelter-In-Place:
Advises people to stay secure at their current location by remaining in place as evacuation will cause a higher potential for loss of life.

Public Assembly Point:
A temporary assembly area that provides a safe haven for evacuees to assemble until conditions subside and evacuation routes are accessible, or for evacuees who otherwise cannot evacuate the community on their own and need assistance to be moved to a shelter. NOTE: Evacuees who are capable of evacuating on their own to designated shelters or other areas outside of their community do not need to go to Public Assembly Points unless directed by public safety officials.

When can I go back home?
You may not be able to get back into the area for several hours or several days depending upon emergency conditions. Public safety officials working with utility companies and other agencies must ensure that the area is safe for residents to return, considerations include ensuring the fire or other emergency has been abated, hazard trees removed and utilities restored or secured to name a few. Stay informed for news of when the threat is mitigated and access is given to residents with identification.

Flood Evacuation Zones in South Butte County

There are 11 Flood Evacuation Zones in South Butte County. The zones cover the Cities of Oroville, Gridley, Biggs, and the surrounding unincorporated communities from the Oroville Dam south to the Butte County line on both sides of the Feather River. Each Evacuation Zone includes a recommended Evacuation Route, Public Assembly Point, and Evacuation Center. Zones can be viewed by clicking on of the links below or on the interactive map.

• Oroville area (Zone 1):  Community Meeting March 24th at 6:00 pm at the Church of the Nazarene, 2238 Monte Vista Avenue, Oroville
• Thermalito (Zone 2):  Community Meeting March 30th at 6:00 pm at Nelson Avenue School, 2255 6th Street, Oroville
• Palermo area (Zones 3&4, Zone 10):  Community Meeting Mar 29th at 6:00 pm at the Palermo School Gym, 7350 Bulldog Way, Palermo
• Biggs area (Zones 5&6, Zones 7&11):  Community Meeting March 16th at 6:00 pm at the Butte County Fairgrounds, Butte Hall 199 East Hazel Street, Gridley
• Gridley area (Zones 6&9, Zone 8):  Community Meeting March 16th at 6:00 pm at the Butte County Fairgrounds, Butte Hall 199 East Hazel Street, Gridley

Be Prepared for an Evacuation

1. Learn the Evacuation Categories
2. Know how to Stay Informed During and Emergency
3. Get Prepared Today
4. Make sure people with disabilities and activity limitations have a plan. For information about the Special Needs Awareness Program (SNAP) call OEM at (530) 538-7373

Interactive Flood Evacuation Map

Enter your address or click on a zone to find your zone, learn your evacuation route, and see where to go in case of an evacuation. View full screen map.

Contact the Butte County Sheriff's Office, infosheriff@buttecounty.net with comments and feedback about the Flood Evacuation Zones.

FEMA and the International Association of Emergency Managers define Emergency Management as; “…the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.” Butte County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is committed to providing a comprehensive Emergency Management Program supporting all functions of emergency management to build disaster resistant communities.

Emergency Management Functions

Protection (Prevention)
Actions taken to stop or avoid an incident.

Mitigation
Measures to reduce the likelihood of occurrence, or reduce the damaging effects of the hazard. These activities should be done prior to an incident.

Preparedness
Preparedness activities increase a community’s ability to respond when a disaster occurs. Emergency response plans, evacuation plans, family communications plan and assembling a family disaster kit are just a few examples of preparedness.

Response
Actions taken immediately before, during and after a disaster to protect human lives and property from damaging effects. For individuals, it is being able to act responsibly and safely to protect yourself and your family from the impacts of a disaster event.

Recovery
Actions taken to return community to normalcy. For catastrophic events this may take years.