Note: Reporter Tony Nuñez contributed to this story
WATSONVILLE—Thousands of Santa Cruz County residents living in the county’s northern reaches have been ordered to evacuate as the CZU August Lightning Complex fires have spread throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Temporary shelters have been set up across the region to house evacuees. This includes one at Half Moon Bay High School, one at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and one at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville.
The Civic Auditorium was full as of Thursday afternoon.
The County of Santa Cruz on Thursday also established safe parking zones at Cabrillo College and Santa Cruz Bible Church.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District spokeswoman Alicia Jimenez said Lakeview Middle School will also soon be ready to welcome evacuees today, and Watsonville High School is being prepared as an overflow center should the need arise.
The City of Watsonville will run those evacuation centers.
Evacuees should first seek shelter with friends and family. For information on evacuation accommodations, call 211 or Red Cross at 1-866-272-2237.
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds CEO Dave Kegebin said he, staff and volunteers have been hard at work setting up the shelter. Tents and single cots are currently situated in Crocetti Hall, Harvest Building and Fine Arts Building. People are also camped out on the lawns surrounding the buildings.
“It’s been a mad scramble,” Kegebin said. “Since we weren’t having the Fair this year, many of our buildings were full of equipment… we had to clear everything out and clean up pretty quickly.”
By Thursday afternoon the Fairgrounds was full of evacuees, many of whom were living and sleeping out of their cars. Kegebin said that safely housing everyone inside of the buildings is difficult, since people have to remain physically distanced because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Livestock areas of the Fairgrounds are also housing displaced animals. Kegebin said that other regional fairgrounds have been helping out, lending them livestock pens and other equipment.
Fair Board Director Lori Estrada said that tents had already been set up in the Crocetti building as possible emergency shelter during Covid-19. She recalled that it had been about 11 years since the fairgrounds had been used as a shelter—and now it was happening twice in six months.
“Nothing about this was planned, but that’s how life is,” she said. “We just do what we can.”
Boulder Creek resident Melissa Leon said she was able to get herself, her four dogs and two cats, and a car load of supplies out safely Tuesday night. But her house was a lost cause.
“I might not be able to go back until September… to take photos and all that,” she said. “Then will come dealing with insurance companies.”
Leon said she was grateful for the emergency shelter. Friends had been offering to help, but the shelter offers a safe environment with plenty of supplies and assistance.
“This is really the best place to be,” she said. “It has the funding to help us for the long term.”
Another evacuee, who asked not to be named, said he had left home at about 5am Wednesday.
“It’s always good to be careful,” he said. “We’re playing it safe.”
Kegebin said the Fairgrounds is bracing for another influx of people as more areas of the county have begun to evacuate.
“How things will continue to go, I don’t know,” he said. “We are doing what we can… but how do you find space for thousands of people?”
The Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center on Thursday also asked all tourists and visitors occupying local overnight accommodations such as hotels, motels and vacation rentals to leave immediately to free up shelter capacity.
FIRE RESOURCES:
Visit fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/17/czu-august-lightning-complex/ for more information on evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, evacuation centers and road closures.
For those unable to secure accommodations, the following shelters have been set up:
•Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz
•Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville
•Half Moon Bay High School, 1 Lewis Foster Dr, Half Moon Bay
Pets are welcome at evacuation sites, but it is requested that they be under owner’s control. Bring a pet carrier if you can.
Shelter staff will assist people with special needs. Behavioral health specialists will be on site for support.
For information on accommodations for evacuees, call the Red Cross at 1-866-272-2237.
For assistance evacuating animals, call 831-471-1182.
Find the current evacuation map at smco.community.zonehaven.com.
To list yourself safe go to redcross.org/safeandwell.
The Cal Fire public information line for the fire incident is 831-335-6717.
Follow the Cal Fire’s San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit or follow the hashtag #CZUAugustLightningComplex on Twitter for breaking info.
The Santa Cruz County Human Services benefits hotline is 1-888-421-8080 (toll free). Residents impacted by the fire who are enrolled in benefits programs may be eligible for replacement benefits.
For the latest traffic advisories or restrictions visit cruz511.org.
Find local air quality information at air.mbard.org.
DONATIONS:
The county is taking contributions of large tents at the Emeline Warehouse, 1082 Emeline St., Santa Cruz, as well as sleeping bags and pads, blankets, pillows, tarps, hand sanitizer, personal hygiene products, toiletries, plastic storage bins, bottled water, granola and energy bars, surgical masks and empty spray bottles.
Other food donations should be brought to Second Harvest Food Bank. Drop off clothing donations to the nearest Goodwill.
