People trickle in to Oroville after evacuations lifted

Feb. 15--Evacuated residents slowly trickled back into Oroville late Tuesday afternoon after mandatory orders to leave the area were downgraded to warnings, which authorities issued Sunday evening. While the Oroville Dam's water levels have slowly decreased since the initial warnings, the incoming rains have some residents concerned about the potential rise in water levels.

And although many are relieved to return home, they're still exercising caution.

When Jamie Gonzalez, her daughter Rosa, and best friend Janae Culver heard about the evacuation order being lifted, they headed straight to Raley's to stock up on food.

"It feels good but it's still scary because you don't know, like they're saying it's OK now... it's still uncertainty," Culver said. "So it's not like you can sleep too easy right now."

The three were in Sacramento when they received the warning. They made their way back to Oroville to gather pets and belongings such as cellphones, Social Security cards and birth certificates -- and headed to Kelly Ridge for safety.

But now that they're back, they said the first thing they'll do is clean up a little and prepare to leave again, if need be.

"I'm going to unpack, but I'll still be ready to go," Gonzalez said.

Michelle Helgren, 46, and her husband Michael, 48, were happy to return home on Tuesday, just in time for Valentine's Day. They had evacuated in such a hurry they were adamant they would not be leaving Oroville again.

"We're going to go home and finish waiting this out," Michelle said.

To celebrate, they headed to Souper Subs, a local sandwich shop that stayed open during the mandatory evacuations.

"We were hungry," Michael said.

Behind the counter, owner Chris Lightle, his grandparents, father, friends and staff members showed up to work to help make sandwiches for people coming in.

"Rather than just sitting around doing nothing, we decided to open," Lightle said. "We had a restaurant full of food and a hungry town."

But the return home was not without complications.Michelle needed to get a prescription refilled, but her pharmacy was closed in Oroville. She and Michael headed to Chico to get the medication.

But some people coming home were warmly welcomed by their neighbors, many of whom didn't leave.

Garth Ricketts and his girlfriend Roxanne Logue were unpacking their belongings in their driveway when their next door neighbor stopped by to welcome them with a tray of lasagna.

Ricketts said he wanted to stay home during the evacuation, but Logue was adamant about being safe so they headed east toward Lake Madrone to spend time in their cabin.

"Yeah, I'm happy. As long as they fix the dam," he said.

He said he would unpack and relax, but he was ready to go back to work. And if it's time to leave again, he'll go.

"We might get some stuff together," he said.

Richard Barney, 51, recalled what a "mad rush" it was to leave Sunday afternoon. Barney and his mother, who uses a wheelchair, live close to the river and had to reach out to local police to get help evacuating. They spent two nights at the Tehama County Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. And while getting out of Oroville was hard as people left in a rush, the drive back was "beautiful," Barney said.

But if he and his mother have to leave again, chances are they'll head to Bakersfield.

"I'm still a little on the edge about the warning still on," he said.

Later Tuesday evening, people stopped by the local Walmart, in hopes the store was open. The store manager, Tina Ruiz told passersby that they were closed, but she made sure they left with a bouquet of flowers and a Valentine's Day balloon to take home, assuring and each of them they'd be open for business by 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Reporter Sean Longoria contributed to this report.

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