County urges residents: Know Your Zone

COLUSA, Calif. — The Colusa County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services urged residents to register for emergency alerts and learn their evacuation zones during a city council presentation outlining a new countywide digital map and notification tools.

OES representative Jackie Williams said the county built the evacuation zone map in-house, working with public works and county partners, avoiding an estimated cost of $100,000.

Williams said the county created about 48 zones based on population and likely hazards. She estimated the City of Colusa includes about four or five zones.

The maps are easy to read and color-coded: red for evacuation order, yellow for warning, blue for advisory, green for clear to repopulate, and white when no action is in place.

Residents can enter an address to see their status and zone number.

The county’s alert system pairs the map with targeted notifications. Williams said OES uses RAVE Mobile Safety for direct sign-ups and also holds FEMA approval to send IPAWS alerts. She encouraged residents to register with RAVE so they receive notices even if they are away from local cell towers at the time of an incident.

Registration requires a name, email and phone number, she said.

Williams walked the council through sample scenarios that drove the map design.

The platform is reviewed monthly to confirm it functions properly. Williams added that OES may resize zones as conditions and populations change.

City fire chief Logan Conley said the zone aligns with existing flood and disaster mapping.

Williams described the underlying data as flexible and updatable with evacuation routes and alternates planned if primary roads close.

“We can adjust the system “on the fly” as needs arise,” she said.

Residents can find “Know Your Zone” on the county website and sign up for alerts through the RAVE link.

Williams said in the event of receiving an alert message, it will include a link that opens the interactive map and highlights the affected zone with instructions for evacuation or shelter in place.

To Know Your Zone, or signup for RAVE messages, visit: https://www.countyofcolusaca.gov/1121/Evacuation-Zone-Map-and-Emergency.