FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and the Coconino County Flood Control District are helping residents in neighborhoods downstream of the Museum Fire burn scar prepare for the 2022 monsoon season by placing pallets of new sandbags and trash bins throughout neighborhoods, which residents can use to repair their sandbag walls. Materials will be available from May 13 through July 1, 2022.
Here are some tips for residents to keep in mind:
- Only broken sandbags on the outside of sandbag walls need to be replaced. Sandbags that are broken but are inside of a sandbag wall can remain in place.
- Cinders from broken sandbags can be put in the designated trash bins provided, returned to the sandbag station at 2625 N King Street, or taken to Cinder Lake Landfill. Residents are asked to not dump cinders into street gutters or put sandbags in residential City trash cans. Old sandbags or cinders are not eligible for City bulk pickup and should not be placed curbside.
- Flood mitigation should be continuous with no gaps. Removal of any sections of mitigation from an individual property may compromise effectiveness and result in liability if upstream or downstream properties are impacted.
- The maintenance of sandbag walls and the disposal of sandbags is exclusively the responsibility of residents.
- Residents are encouraged to enlist the help of family and friends in repairing their sandbag walls as there are limited staffing and volunteer resources available to assist residents. The City and the Flood Control District continue to work with the United Way and other partners to secure volunteers, but these resources will be directed toward residents who are elderly or have a disability.
- Residents are encouraged to review how to properly re-stack sandbags that are replaced. For more information on sandbagging, visit coconino.az.gov/2134/Sandbag-Information.
If residents are unable to make necessary repairs to their emergency sandbag mitigation due to being elderly or having a disability, they can call 928-213-2102 starting May 24 to request assistance. Calls will be answered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Resources are limited, and crews will address as many properties as time and resources allow. For general questions about Museum Fire flooding, residents can email info@museumfloodprojects.com.
The threat of flooding is real, and residences in the Museum Flood area will remain at high risk for post-wildfire flooding for several years. Residents are encouraged to purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is the only way for residents to be compensated for flood damage on private property. If a resident’s insurance agent is not aware of the procedures for selling flood insurance policies, residents can contact NFIP at 1-877-336-2627 for a referral. A local insurance agent can also be identified by visiting www.floodsmart.gov.
For questions related to the sandbag refresh operation, please contact Sam Beckett, City of Flagstaff Streets Section Director at samuel.beckett@flagstaffaz.gov.