This story previously provided the wrong location for the Loomis Highway. The error has been corrected in this version.

OKANOGAN — Mudslides and flooding in different parts of Okanogan County threatened an Okanogan orchard camp and temporarily closed one county road east of Tonasket over the weekend.

Officials say the flooding problems are the result of a frozen ground and unseasonably warm weather, and — east of Okanogan — a wildfire last summer that cleared the hillsides of vegetation.

“There’s water runoff everywhere,” said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers. He said there have been no serious problems, but “we’re having little issues all around the county.”

On Saturday night, county officials heard from owners of Johnny Appleseed Orchard, located just off Highway 20 in Okanogan, where the 9,607-acre Oden Road Fire left barren hillsides and swaths of black, dead trees.

“Because of the fire damage, there’s nothing to hold that water,” said Okanogan County Emergency Manager Scott Miller.

Standing water threatened four triplex orchard houses, and Johnny Appleseed offered to move any orchard workers to alternative housing. Orchard Manager Joel Hand, however, said none of the employees were concerned enough to move. “It got pretty close to the houses we have, but I don’t think it’s going to cause any permanent damage. It’s just going to be a mess,” Hand said.

The county delivered about 500 sandbags to the orchard to help prevent damage from mudslides, Rogers said.

Rogers said the state Department of Transportation responded to problems along Highway 20 near the fire, and the road remains open.

He said no damage has been reported yet.

Northwest of Tonasket, the county closed the Loomis Highway after a small mudslide crossed the road near Whitestone Lake, Rogers said. It is now reopened.

In addition to sliding hillsides, the county is seeing standing water in low-lying areas, including fields and city parks.

“There’s just water everywhere,” Rogers said. He said county public works crews have been setting up signs along many roads warning drivers of water over the roadway.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Okanogan, Omak and Oroville through Wednesday afternoon due to the flooding issues.

National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Bos said it’s an unusual form of flooding, caused mostly by a frozen ground with not a lot of precipitation.

“This is not a river flood issue, and we have not had a huge amount of precipitation,” he said. “But with water unable to soak into the ground, we have a lingering issue.”

Throughout North Central Washington, the agency predicts more rain through Friday, with temperatures mostly remaining above freezing and daytime temperatures climbing to 40 degrees in some locations.

K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512

mehaffey@wenatcheeworld.com