As the rain continues to hit California, cannabis operators across the state are dealing with the repercussions of the historic storms. High winds and heavy rains have caused some cannabis operations to temporarily close operations and shore up their facilities to mitigate the damage.
Businesses have reported flooded operations causing economic setbacks as well as product losses due to rain-damaged crops. Power outages have also stopped production, leaving plants vulnerable to mold and other contaminants.
The storm has caused evacuations through parts of the state and resulted in the deaths of 15 people. More than 34 million people have been placed under a flood watch since the storm began last week, and some parts of California, such as Ventura and Santa Barbara received over 116 inches of rain since last Tuesday. Santa Barbara-based cannabis company Glass House Brands closed both of its cultivation operations in Carpinteria early so they could get back home safely.
Kristi Nevedal, director of Mendocino County’s Cannabis Department said warnings have been issued to growers adjacent to burn scars from wildfires years ago, which tend to turn into mudslides during heavy rain. Nevedal noted a lot of growers in the Emerald Triangle are self-sufficient and can manage if the power goes out.
“Most of the rural homesteaders either have alternative energy sources or have figured out how to use very limited amounts of power,” Nevedal said.
Executive director of the Humboldt County Growers Association said some growers were experiencing wind damage and closed roads due to trees that had been knocked over, but echoed the sentiment that most growers live off the grid and are able to deal with loss of power.
“Many of our people live off the grid, so the loss of power is negligible. We don’t have any significant landslides or flooding,” said DeLapp. “Things could change, but right now, we’re doing OK.”
On January 4, California governor Gavin Newsome proclaimed a state of emergency throughout the state to support the ongoing response to the storms, supporting relief efforts including authorizing the mobilization of the California National Guard to support disaster response and requesting assistance to deal with highway issues and floodings. Governor Newsom also activated the State Operations Center to its highest level in addition to activating the state’s Flood Operations Center for the first time since 2019. The Flood Operations Center provides an elevated level of coordinated efforts with local agencies to help keep people safe by facilitating conversation between reservoir operators, ensuring agencies are working ad talking together instead of acting alone.
“California is mobilizing to keep people safe from the impacts of the incoming storm,” said Governor Newsom. “This state of emergency will allow the state to respond quickly as the storm develops and support local officials in their ongoing response.”
Over the summer, California dealt with extreme weather conditions on the other end of the spectrum, with the state dealing with a heat wave that resulted in the hottest recorded temperatures in some areas in nearly a century. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation urging businesses to conserve as much power as possible, with the California Department of Cannabis Control also issuing a Flex Alert to urge growers to do their part. The Department of Cannabis Control also urged growers to use less energy between the hours of 2-9:00 p.m.
“An emergency proclamation has been signed by the Governor due to the extreme heat wave,” the Department of Cannabis Control said in the release. “Starting now, we are asking all cannabis licensees to voluntarily consider reducing their energy load by: turning off the lights or any major sources of power; and begin using a backup generator, if safe, and available.”
