Prepare for El Niño, whatever storms it may or may not bring.

By now you’ve probably heard about the “Super El Niño” that is predicted to come our way over the winter. It’s got me, Pam Marino, mulling over how prepared I am should the power go out. I’m starting a list of supplies I should have on hand just in case.

Here at the Weekly we’re covering storm preparations by local governmental agencies so we can pass on important information to you, our readers.

In this week’s print edition, Staff Writer Katie Rodriguez covered preparations in Big Sur, which potentially could take a heavy beating from the storms, especially in light of this summer’s Plaskett and Timber fires. The concern is that those burn scars will send rivers of mud and debris down the mountains and into more populated areas.

Kirk Gafill, Nepenthe owner and president of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, spoke at a meeting of the Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Committee on Sept. 28, which Rodriguez covered.

“You can put a fire out with a fire hose,” Gafill said. “You cannot stop a debris flow with your vehicle, a tractor, or sandbags, so people need to look at those in very different ways.”

That being said, there are 1 million sandbags available at the Big Sur Fire Station for pick up by residents, according to Chief Matt Harris.

“You guys have to prepare yourself and your properties for eventual floods,” Harris said. 

Staff Writer Aric Sleeper covered a winter preparedness meeting at Monterey Conference Center on Wednesday, Sept. 30. More cities will be offering residents preparedness information in the coming weeks. Carmel has two meetings coming up, which Rodriguez details in her article about Carmel declaring an emergency in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s advance declaration on Sept. 21. (The City of Salinas has also already done the same, as reported by Staff Writer Royvi Hernandez.) 

In addition, the County of Monterey has created a webpage full of information on what to do in preparation for the storms and where to find resources.

The page includes a five-point checklist: 1. Know your risk; 2. Sign up for alerts; 3. Prepare your home; 4. Prepare your people and your pets; 5. Stay informed.

On that last point, you can stay informed by checking in at montereycountynow.com on a regular basis, as well as the daily newsletter. We always do our best to push out important messages during storms and other emergencies.

Hopefully the storms won’t be as powerful as predicted, but being prepared—especially here in earthquake country and a year-round fire season—is always a good idea. 

Stay safe!