𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Emergency Management Department and the Douglas County Public Works Department are hard at work collaborating with local cities, tribal government, regional agencies, and private contractors to quickly access, cleanup, and repair damaged roads across the county following a severe winter storm that caused major flooding and numerous mudslides as the result of sustained heavy rains this past weekend. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners Declared a State of Emergency on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 10:15 am for the entire county due to the 'extreme conditions related to the severe winter storm that impacted our county causing extreme peril to the safety or person and/or the protection of property.' A declaration of emergency empowers authorities to take extraordinary measures to protect lives, property, and public health, including accessing emergency funds, and coordinating resources for rapid response and recovery. Visit Here to read a copy of the declaration. Please be aware that the National Weather Service continues to issue ‘Flood Warnings & Flood Advisories’ for several areas of southern Oregon, including Douglas County. The warnings and advisories remain in effect through tonight for many areas of the county. Although floodwaters have receded in some parts of the county, many areas are still experiencing the impact of flooding, including high water, road closures, detours, mudslides, debris, downed trees, falling rocks, and damaged roadways. Please be aware that some areas may continue to experience elevated water levels for an undetermined period of time and there is an increased risk of mudslides and falling rocks in areas with steep terrain. Water levels are expected to continue to fluctuate as the National Weather Service is predicting another storm front approaching our area on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. For more information and to follow weather advisories, please visit: https://www.weather.gov/mfr/. We continue to urge motorists to proceed and exercise extreme caution and prioritize safety while driving throughout Douglas County and beyond. If you are traveling through impacted areas, please be patient and expect delays or detours due to heavy equipment, work crews, flaggers and posted closure signs. Please make sure to check road conditions before you travel at https://tripcheck.com/. For additional flood information, visit Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s Flood Dashboard at https://tinyurl.com/aa6z9rrt. Stay vigilant when traveling and remember: 🔹 Floodwaters are extremely dangerous. 🔹 Turn around, don’t drown! 🔹 Do not drive around barricades or through flooded roads. 🔹 Be extra careful at night when it’s harder to discern high water or mudslide dangers. While several local temporary shelters have closed, the American Red Cross is operating a shelter on an on-call basis only at the Drain Church of Christ. Should you have shelter needs or need information about shelter options, please call 1-800-Red-Cross (1-800-733-2767) or contact the American Red Cross – Southwest Oregon Chapter at (541) 344-5244 or visit: https://www.redcross.org/local/oregon/about-us/locations/southwest-oregon-chapter.html. Residents who feel it is unsafe to remain in their homes should not wait for a notice to evacuate and should relocate to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area. If you know of any elderly or vulnerable neighbors that might need assistance with food, supplies, or utilities, we encourage you to go check on them, if you are able and have suitable transportation. The Douglas County Commissioners and Douglas County Emergency Management Department have teamed up with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM)to provide resource and information to local residents via the 211 Info Line. 211info is a free phone line that assists Oregon and Southwest Washington communities by helping people identify, navigate, and connect with the local resources they need. If you have questions about insurance, flood damage, resources, or housing call 211. If you have a non-emergent need for assistance, call the non-emergency line with the Douglas County 911 Communications Dispatch Center at (541) 440-4471. If you have a life-threatening situation, please call 911. The Commissioners and County Departments wanted to express our sincere thank you to our local partners for their assistance, cooperation, and support during this emergency, including, our 12 city administrators; city fire and rural fire departments; city police departments; Douglas Public Health Network, Oregon Department of Transportation; OEM; and Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Tom Kress, and Chris Boice will continue to provide leadership, assess current conditions, issue updates, offer access to resources, and work diligently with local and state partners on this emergency event. Thank you for your patience and please stay safe out there! #dcoregon #dcommissioners #dcso #floodingevent #march2025