Thursday, Aug 27, 2020
 by 
Michelle Durand
  • Aug. 27, 2020

    EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Most Evacuees May Return Home

    Some Roads Reopen as Evacuation Orders Lifted

    Online Database for Addresses in Open Area

    Water, Food, Basic Needs Available for Evacuees

    Non-Residents Urged to Stay Out of Area

    HALF MOON Bay, Calif. – As of noon today, most residents along the southern San Mateo County coast evacuated from the CZU Lightning Complex may return to their homes.

    Joint Information Center logo

    Evacuees should check an online database available at https://www.smcgov.org/smc-wildfire-recovery to determine if their home is now accessible before reentering the area.

    Evacuees may also call 2-1-1 to speak with a trained professional to learn if their address is in an area open as of noon today. 2-1-1 is a free service available in more than 150 languages operated in cooperation with United Way of the Area.

    Evacuees temporarily housed in hotels with vouchers should not check out until confirming their home is accessible. Assistance in hotel lobbies is available from the American Red Cross.

    Areas open as of noon are generally in the areas of La Honda, San Gregorio and Pescadero.

    Effective at noon today, evacuation orders are lifted for the following areas:

    1. Pescadero Beach area (ZONE: SMC- E073)
    2. Pescadero Creek County Park area (ZONE: SMC – E075)
    3. Pescadero area (ZONE: SMC – E043)
    4. San Gregorio area (ZONE: SMC – E022)
    5. La Honda area (ZONE: SMC – E028)
    6. Langley Hill and Red Barn area (ZONE: SMC – E010)
    7. Russian Ridge Open Space area (ZONE: SMC – E027)
    8. Skylonda (ZONE: SMC- E012)
    9. Portola Redwoods State Park, Portola Heights (SMC E-048)
    10. Middleton Tract (ZONE: SMC- E044)

    Roads to these areas are open as of noon.

     

    Re-entry is NOT allowed in evacuated zones not included on this list.

    The following roads are closed until further notice (this updated as of 3 p.m. today):

    1. Highway 1 at Gazos Creek Road
    2. Cloverdale Road at Butano Cutoff
    3. Pescadero Creek Road at Butano Cutoff
    4. Pescadero Creek Road at Burns Valley Road  

    Public works, utility and public safety crews have completed inspections and deemed the area safe for travel.

    County officials encourage residents to exercise caution as they travel to their homes, drive safely and obey public safety personnel. Residents are urged to yield to emergency vehicles.

    And please – nonresidents are urged to stay out of the area.

    Public safety officials are working on re-opening plans for areas that remain under evacuation orders.

    Emergency Supplies
    Water, food and toiletries for evacuees are available at two locations until further notice:

    1. The evacuation center at Half Moon Bay High School, 1 Lewis Foster Drive; Hours 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
    2. Puente de la Costa Sur, 620 North St., Pescadero; Hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 650-879-1691 for further information.

    Public Health
    The County remains under public health orders for COVID-19, so physical distancing, wearing a facial covering and not gathering with people outside of your household is still in effect.

    Animal Evacuees
    More than 1,500 large animals as well as many small animals have been cared for by a variety of volunteer organizations and other agencies.

    Contact for large animal pick up or return contact:

    Robin Camozzi 650-450-0516
    Laura Camozzi 650-450-0520

    For dogs, cats and exotics contact the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA at 650-340-7022.

    Fire Update
    The fire overnight grew slowly to 81,333 acres from 80,137 acres the day before with containment at 21 percent as of this morning.

    The fire has destroyed 456 homes and damaged an additional 46 across San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. One fatality in Santa Cruz County has been reported.

    Wildfire Survivors Can Register With FEMA for Assistance
    Residents impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex fires may be eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through disasterassistance.gov.

    Grants may help eligible survivors with financial assistance that includes rent, home repair, home replacement and other disaster-related needs such as childcare, medical and dental expenses.

    People who suffered losses from the fires should contact their insurance companies first. Insurance delivers the majority of financial help in disasters. For losses not covered by insurance, people can register for disaster assistance in three ways: online through disasterassistance.gov, by using the FEMA App or by calling 800-621-3362.

    Registrations and inspections can be done remotely, keeping survivors safe.

    Learn more about the process and how to apply by visiting the California Office of Emergency Services website.

    Additional Information and Resources:

    For additional information when returning home, refer to www.fire.ca.gov

    Click on the link, “Post wildfire” for safety precautions.

    For electrical safety tips after a wildfire, refer to PG&E at https://tinyurl.com/y7dny9tt

    To find the most current evacuation map, go to https://arcg.is/PSSv10

    Sign up for CalFire email updates at https://tinyurl.com/czulightning

    Stay up-to date on air conditions at https://www.airnow.gov/

    CALFire CZU San Mateo–Santa Cruz Unit Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/CALFIRECZU

    Sign up for SMC Alerts at www.smcalert.info

    Connect with the County of San Mateo on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CountyofSanMateo

    Follow the County of San Mateo on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sanmateoco