Landslide That Trapped Residents, Triggered Evacuations, Monitored As Rain Falls

SANTA ROSA, CA — A landslide trapped two people inside a home this week in east Santa Rosa.

Firefighters from the Santa Rosa Fire Department and Sonoma County Fire District responded around 5 p.m. Tuesday and worked to safely remove two residents from a home in the 3800 block of Deer Trail Court in an unincorporated area of Santa Rosa.

Crews determined the slide originated on private property on a hillside above Deer Trail Court and within the Santa Rosa city limits. The property is open space owned and maintained by Fountaingrove II Open Space Maintenance Association, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department.

Emergency Management officials and Santa Rosa FD worked with the city's Transportation and Public Works Department to coordinate a team that included a geotechnical engineer and a geologist to evaluate the situation. A request was also made for a response from a building inspector with the County of Sonoma.

"Out of an abundance of caution, notifications regarding the slide were made to 17 homes in the general area of Deer Trail Court," Santa Rosa FD said.

Decisions were also made to evacuate three of the homes and red-tag two homes.

"The City of Santa Rosa is in direct communication with the property representatives from the OSMA," Santa Rosa FD said late Wednesday. "Both the City and OSMA have engaged geotechnical engineers to evaluate the conditions. The city is directing that the slide mass be closely monitored, and a mitigation plan be developed. OSMA open space area has been restricted for the safety of the community."

Santa Rosa FD and the city's Transportation and Public Works Department continued to work closely with the County of Sonoma and the Sonoma County Fire District, coordinating their efforts. This included planning for any potential evacuation warning or orders with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa Police Department, Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, and Permit Sonoma’s Building Division.

"With more rain in the forecast, soil continued to reach saturation limits," Santa Rosa FD said. "Residents who notice any land or hillside movement should call 911."

The map embedded below shows the location of the landslide.