Guerneville neighborhood under evacuation warning due to landslide threat Today Us News

A Guerneville neighborhood is under an evacuation warning Tuesday, Feb. 24, due to a potential landslide as the region braces for another wave of rain.

The warning is the result of a hillside collapse that was reported around 2:20 p.m. Monday along Neeley Road at River Lane. It damaged portions of a home that sits on top and along the edge of the hill but no one was inside Monday afternoon and no injuries were reported, said Karen Hancock, a spokesperson for the Sonoma County Fire District.

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Andrew Stafford pauses on his morning walk to view a home perched precariously above a landslide on Neeley Road in Guerneville, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The immediate area is under an evacuation warning. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)

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Emergency officials located the homeowners, she added, and Permit Sonoma is investigating the cause of the hillside’s collapse. Officials from that agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning.

Guerneville resident Keith Gorrebeeck, who retired from a career in construction, observed the damage Tuesday and surmised it was caused by concrete spray that workers installed this month while working on a retainer wall at the bottom of the hill. Water and moisture likely built up behind the solidified layer and gave into pressure, he said.

Remnants of the solidified layer were still present Tuesday as small amounts of loose dirt gave way and crumbled onto the road.

“The way I look at it, the guy just lost his property,” Gorrebeeck said.

The evacuation warning, issued Monday night by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, covers the portion of Neeley between River Lane and Montesano Avenue. Also under warning are homeowners along the east side of Orchard Avenue between River and Montesano.

The area is in the southern part of town, south of the Russian River. Neeley runs north and south along a hillside officials say is at risk of falling, and Orchard is one block to the west.

Road closure signs are posted on each end of the streets that fall within the warning area, but a number of area residents approached the site on foot to observe the damage Tuesday. Gorrebeeck, a resident since 1986, said the hill didn’t elevate much beyond the area behind the home and ground is sturdy enough to minimize the landslide’s expansion.

He and Hancock both said a Guerneville resident cut down trees Monday to minimize damage. Further damage will depend on this week’s weather conditions.

“It’s gotta be raining for a good week. Lot of rain,” Gorrebeeck, 68, said of potential threats that would worsen conditions.

Sonoma County is on tap for up to 2 inches of rain Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Conditions follow a thunderstorm that developed a week ago as part of three systems that brought nearly 3 inches of precipitation to Sonoma County.

Emergency officials are encouraging residents in the evacuation area to gather essential items, such as medications, identification and important documents. They should plan evacuation routes and be mindful of moving dirt and debris on or near their properties.