Storm puts many at risk
Thousands ordered to evacuate due to danger from debris flow
SANTA CRUZ >> Some 5,000 residents in Redwood Grove, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Ben Lomond, Felton, as well as in Davenport and off the North Coast have been ordered to evacuate due to debris flow risk.
There are a total of 38 evacuation zones within Santa Cruz County that were elevated from evacuation warning to order on Monday, according to Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit Chief Ian Larkin. That includes some 2,800 structures.
Three temporary shelters have been set up for evacuees — they are located at the following addresses:
• San Lorenzo Valley High School, 7105 Hwy 9, Felton, CA 95018
• Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066
• Pacific Elementary School, 50 Ocean Street, Davenport, CA 95017
While those shelters won’t offer sleeping arrangements inside, evacuees may arrange for car camping-type setups, according to County Communications Manager Jason Hoppin. Those who are unable to find shelter should get in touch with Red Cross.
“If someone needs housing assistance and they’re unable to find other accommodations, get in touch with the red cross at shelters,” Hoppin said.
The current forecast, shows heavy rain to hit Tuesday afternoon. The predicted atmospheric river storm could mean atrisk areas in the Santa Cruz Mountains seeing debris flow thresholds reached.
Debris flows are fastmoving slurries of rock, soil and sediment carried in water. Areas of Santa Cruz Mountains are at-risk for debris flows after the CZU Lighting Complex fire stripped slopes of vegetation and ground cover.
Those debris flow risk thresholds are as follows:
• More than 0.3 inches of rainfall in a 15-minute period.
• A half-inch of rainfall occurring over a 30-minute period.
• 0.7 inches of rainfall occurring over an hour period.
“These thresholds? We’re going to meet them,” said Chief Deputy Chris Clark in a press conference Monday. “Not only are we going to meet them, but there’s a whole other component of storm that frankly really concerns me, and that’s the wind.”
That storm brings additional hazards: flash flood potential, and a strong wind event. The National Weather Service stresses that if you must drive during flooding, do not cross a water covered road.
The wind-element of the storm means parts of Santa Cruz could see gusts exceeding 70 mph. That high wind watch will be in effect from 7 p.m. Tuesday through 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the National
Weather Service.
“There could be road blockages, there could be downed lines and there could be debris flow in the areas that are identified. And if that happens, not only is it unsafe for you, but it’s going to make it hard for you to get in and out, and in and it could strand you,” Clark said.
Those predicted winds could additionally mean road access issues resembling last week’s wind-fueled wildfire outbreak and power outages throughout the county.
“It’s kind of starting to come together as a perfect storm,” Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit Chief Ian Larkin told the Sentinel. “Rain is one thing but when you add wind in there and you have a lot of weakened trees…”
Both fire-scarred and healthy trees could be at risk of falling with the predicted weather conditions, Larkin said.
Check the county’s zonehaven map to see if your address has been put under evacuation notice: https:// community.zonehaven. com/
The following zones have been ordered to evacuate:
BEN-E001D, BENE002A, BEN-E002D, BENE004B BOU-E021A, BOUE020, BOU-E017, BOU-E016, BOU-E010, BOU-E006, BOU-E001A, BOU-E002, BOU-E033A, BOU-E038A, BOU-E031B, BOU-E030, BOU-E018A, BOU-E014, BOUE009, BOU-E003, BOU-E001B, BOU-E015A, BOU-E039A, BOU-E040A FEL-E002A, FEL-E003B, FEL-E003C, FELE004A CRZ-E001B, CRZ-E001D, CRZE002B, CRZ-E003B, CRZ-E003D, CRZ-E006B, CRZ-E006C, CRZ-E007A, CRZ-E017A, CRZ-E017C
Pre6aratioss usderway
Sheriff deputies began door-to-door evacuation warnings this past weekend, and starting Monday, those notifications elevated to evacuation orders. At the time of publication, no further evacuation warning zones had been upgraded to orders. But officials said depending on weather patterns, they could expand the order to include more residences.
“Those under warning need to be ready to go — get your go bag ready, get gas and plan your exit route, get positioned so you’re prepped and ready to go,” Larkin said.
Larkin said residents currently under evacuation orders, or those residents who may be put under expanded evacuation orders in the future, can still expect to get an in-person door notice.
In a worst-case scenario, where weather conditions prevented authorities from going door-to-door, Larkin said authorities would issue a Wireless Emergency Alert — the type that flashes up on your phone with a loud noise, and is coordinated by the National Weather Service. He also said the zonehaven map will continuously be updated, acknowledging that some of these noticing methods require internet, or a charged cellphone, which if power outages take place, could be inaccessible to some residents.
Beyond those methods, Larkin said, listening to the weather station on a weather radio to get alerts, is tried and true.
The Cal Fire chief, who also serves as the Santa Cruz County Fire Operational Area Coordinator,
ordered a rescue task force on Sunday through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Those responders are en-route and will be prepositioned before Tuesday’s storm is forecast to hit.
The task force is made up of 30 specially trained rescue and recovery personnel, from different fire agencies, including one specific task force from Marin County Fire Department.
“In the event of a debris flow, if folks did not leave, that team would go in once its stable and start looking for victims,” Larkin said. “They have dogs that can sniff out human remains and detect where there’s life, where someone may be pinned in cavity, and help locate victims to do a rescue or recovery,” Larkin said.
Kee6isn roads clear
The County Department of Public Works will activate their Department Operations Center Tuesday afternoon, a call and dispatch center, so public works employees can respond quickly to road blockages.
Matt Machado said the majority of the department’s 45 staff members will be on-call to respond to roadway access issues over the next few days. The department has staged some heavy equipment in Swanton and Bonny Doon. Public Works also has contractors on call, ready to assist. While Machado stressed that a full cleanup wouldn’t begin until after the storm, they’ll respond to emergency road blockages, if at all possible.
“We are prepared to respond to anything and everything,” Machado said.
Keeping evacuation routes open will be crucial, particularly with predicted winds, and Machado said the department is prepared to do so.
“If it’s an emergency, we do whatever it takes” Machado said. “We have a lot of experienced staff members that have come through a lot of storms, they know how to manage it and they’re up to the task.”
Equally crucial, Machado said, is residents heeding evacuation notices now.
“You look outside… It’s a nice day today, but today’s the day to take action,” Machado said. “If you’re in an order area you need to pack your belongings and get out of the Mountains.”
UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences, Gary Griggs, reflected on the January storms of 1982, that triggered 18,000 debris flows in the greater Bay Area, and in Santa Cruz, the Love Creek Landslide. In total, at least 22 people died in that storm, and 10 people were killed in Santa Cruz.
Griggs recommended people in at-risk areas, even those under warnings, evacuate.
“The cost of evacuating when you’re not sure is simply a little bit of time to get some food, clothes, book a hotel room for $200, and get out, versus losing your lives,” Griggs said.
Residests net ready
• KNOW YOUR ZONE: Visit the debris flow evacuation zone maps at community.zonehaven.com and memorize your zone ID.
• Make sure you are enrolled in the county’s reverse 911 call system, Code Red, by visiting https:// www.scr911.org/.
• Stay alert leading up to and during the storm — monitor news online, on your phone, by listening to a weather radio, and through the county’s social media channels.
• Pack a go-bag before the storm with your essentials such as important documents and ID’s, should evacuations be ordered.
• Track local rainfall levels using One Rain santacruz.onerain.com.
• Track road closures using sccroadclosure.org and report road blockages at 831-477-3999.
• Stock up on batteries, should power go out, and radio communication be necessary.
• Call 831-477-3999 if you are confused about your evacuation status, or what resources are available to you.