2023-08-21 Emergency Proclamation - RIVCO Tropical Storm HilaryCOUNTY OF RIVERSIDE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY
BY THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
WHEREAS, Ordinance 533.7 of the County of Riverside empowers the Director of Emergency Services to
proclaim the existence of a "Local Emergency" when the Board of Supervisors is not in session; and,
WHEREAS, the Director of Emergency Services finds:
That at the time of this proclamation the Board of Supervisors is not in session; and,
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Warning on August 18, 2023 warning of
conditions of damage and extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the County of Riverside;
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service issued a series of Flood Watches on August 18, 2023, warning of
potential significant flooding in the County of Riverside between August 19, 2023 and August 22, 2023;
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service issued a series of Flash Flood Warnings August 19 and 20, 2023 for
multiple areas within the County of Riverside;
WHEREAS, we began prepositioning significant resources, including, but not limited to, swift water rescue
teams, mass care resources, transportation crews, and flood control professionals;
WHEREAS, burn scars from the Apple/EI Dorado, Fairview, Bonny, Reche, Sunset fires create conditions of
dangerous and potentially catastrophic flooding, mudslides and debris flows necessitating the issuance of
evacuations to communities below the burn scar areas; and
WHEREAS, the storm system driven by Hurricane Hilary is causing major flooding, mudflows, road closures
and damage to critical infrastructure across the County of Riverside and may continue to cause damage that
will create great economic burden on effected communities;
WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of California proclaimed a State of Emergency on August 19, 2023, in
response to the extreme weather-related events as a result of Hurricane Hilary; and
WHEREAS, the Cities of La Quinta and Palm Desert have submitted local proclamations of emergency to the
County of Riverside to forward to the State; and
WHEREAS, the potential of the aforementioned conditions of extreme peril warrant and necessitate the
proclamation of a "Local Emergency".
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a "Local Emergency" exists throughout the County of
Riverside; and,
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that during the existence of said "Local Emergency", the
powers, functions and duties of the Director of Emergency Services and the Emergency Management
Organization of this County shall be those prescribed by State law and the charter, ordinances, resolutions and
approved plans of the County of Riverside in order to mitigate the effects of said "Local Emergency"; and,
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that said "Local Emergency" shall be deemed to continue to
exist for the next seven (7) days, and thereafter by ratification of the Board of Supervisors, until its termination
is proclaimed by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Riverside; and,
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that a copy of this proclamation be forwarded to the
Governor of California with the request to provide and request all eligible State and Federal financial
assistance to the County and impacted local jurisdictions.
Dated: August 21, 2023
Je +an age -n
xecuti e Officer
or of Emer jenc ervices
ounty of Riverside