NEWMAN, Calif. — As the San Joaquin River continues to rise near the city of Newman in Stanislaus County, emergency officials have put an evacuation order in effect.
The order is for the Newman area of the San Joaquin River and "East" River Road.
Renee, who didn't provide her last name, and her dog "Lil' Fella" are taking no chances. They are packing up and moving out.
"It's only temporary. It'll still be my home. I'll always come back," she said.
Renee has lived at the Fisherman's Bend RV Mobile Home Park near Newman for 15 years. She's taking precious keepsakes as the rising San Joaquin River flows just yards from her space.
"I came back for my photo albums, all my pictures and stuff, because they get wet in the shed," said Renee.
Eric Bradley lives near the RV park, but came over to do what he can to move people out.
"They need it. The river is going to take all their stuff, and they don't have any way to do it themselves," said Bradley.
The owner of the park said there are 55 sites for mobile homes and RV's, however some of the people here say they don't want to leave because they have no where else to go.
"I just think everybody is jumping the gun," said Ron Davis, who has lived at the park with his three kids for three years.
Davis has a motor home just 20 feet or so from the river.
"I'm not leaving. I don't have to leave. I'm a grown adult; I can tell when I need to leave," he said.
Just down River Road, Michelle Johnson has seen flood waters race under her home in the past. She's ready to leave along with a friend she helped move from another RV park.
"All our stuff is prepared. We have bags packed. All of our personal items we want to take with us is already prepared and ready to go," said Johnson.
"Everybody out here is mostly really neighborly anyways, just in general. So, that's real nice. That's one of the reasons I like to live out here," said Tiffani Croslow, who moved onto Johnson's property with her husband.
Stanislaus County officials say the evacuation order is being monitored on an hour by hour basis. For now, it remains intact as long the San Joaquin River continues to be a potential danger.
Stanislaus County emergency officials say 82 families have been ordered to leave in the Newman area. 31 families have refused. One assisted-living home in Newman was evacuated Monday.
There are two evacuation centers in Stanislaus County open now. One is located at the Salvation Army Red Shield Center in Modesto at 1649 Las Vegas Road. The other is located at Yolo Middle School at 901 Hayer Road in Newman.
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