Press Release. March 12, 2018

Transcription

1 COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE 105 E. Anapamu St., Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara CA (805) FAX (805) Contact: Santa Barbara County Joint Information Center Media Only Press Release March 12, 2018 Fast Approaching Storm Results in Immediate Mandatory Evacuation Order Issued for Areas of Extreme Risk for Debris Flow National Weather Service Issued Flash Flood Watch for Thomas, Whittier, Sherpa and Alamo Burn Areas (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, in consultation with National Weather Service and other public safety officials, has issued a Mandatory Evacuation Order effective today (Monday) for individuals in Extreme Risk (red) areas near the Thomas, Sherpa, and Whittier burn areas due to a rapidly approaching winter storm. Individuals must be out of the evacuation area by 8 p.m. tonight. Those in High Risk (yellow) areas not under mandatory evacuation order, however, are under Recommended Evacuation Warning and are at risk for flooding or being cut off from services and utilities. People with access and functional needs or large animals living in High Risk (yellow) areas should consider immediate evacuation. Updated meteorlogical models by the National Weather Service indicate that there now is a potential for rainfall to exceed the 0.5 inch per hour threshold that triggers debris flows tomorrow morning at daylight. People in Extreme Risk (red) areas are required to evacuate. Officials will return individuals to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so. To determine if a residence or business is in the Extreme Risk Area, consult the evacuation boundaries map at ReadySBC.org. Red Cross has established an evacuation center at Goleta Valley Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave., Goleta, CA Anyone evacuated or otherwise affected by the approaching storm is welcome to find relief and comfort at this location. For assistance evacuating large and small animals, contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services hotline at MORE

2 According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, "The National Weather Service has informed us that the approaching storm is of greater intensity than was previously anticipated. The rate of rainfall is predicted to meet or exceed the threshold level that could trigger debris flows." The California Highway Patrol (CHP), the National Weather Service and public safety partners will monitor storm activity to ensure Highway 101 remains open to facilitate resident evacuations. If Highway 101 needs to be closed, CHP would do so just prior to the arrival of the intense portion of the storm. Bands of rain, timing and intensity will guide this decision. Closure information will be communicated broadly to the public as deicsions are made. Community members should go to ReadySBC.org for up-to-date information on evacuations and road closures. As this storm is expected to arrive during morning rush hour. Please consider altering your travel and commuting plans. The interactive debris flow risk areas map was updated on Saturday, March 10 with changes effecting the Carpinteria community. Residents in this area should consult the map to determine the current status of this area. -30 In English: Stay Connected: It is critical that people in Santa Barbara County register to receive emergency alerts. Sign up for Aware and Prepare emergency alerts at If we can't reach you, we can't alert you. For updates through social media, on Twitter and Facebook. For general information, call from 805 area code or outside of 805, or text your zip code to Permanezca Conectado: Es muy importante que las personas en el Condado de Santa Barbara se registren para recibir alertas de emergencias. lnscribase para recibir las alertas por media de lnformados y Preparados (Aware and Prepare) en Si no podemos localizarlo, no podemos alertarlo. Para actualizaciones por las redes sociales, en en Facebook. Para informaci6n en general, llame al desde el c6digo de area 805, o al para fuera del 805, o mande por texto su c6digo postal al

3 COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE 105 E. Anapamu St., Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara CA (805) FAX (805) PRESS RELEASE March 13, 2018 Contact: Santa Barbara County Joint Information Center Media Line Only Mandatory Evacuation Orders Lifted Immediately for Santa Barbara County Effective 10: 30 am, March 13 (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, in consultation with fire agencies and other public safety officials, has announced that effective immediately (10:30 a.m. today, March 13), Mandatory Evacuation Orders are lifted for all areas. The National Weather Service has advised that critical rain rates did not materialize over the area as expected. Showers are expected through the afternoon and into the evening hours, however, they are not anticipated to reach critical levels to cause debris flow. This is the first of several weather systems expected to move through the Santa Barbara south coast over the next week. Each of these systems will be monitored and evaluated and the public will be informed of any changes. At this time, none of these systems appear to be a threat of causing debris flows. We would like to thank the public for their swift cooperation and collaboration towards keeping our community safe. The County's interactive evacuation map will be updated today to reflect changes made to evacuation orders. Please visit ReadySBC.org to access the interactive evacuation map or call the Public Information Call Center at for assistance. If evacuated residents who are returning to their residences have a need for wheelchair or other specialized transport needs, call Easy Lift at Stay Connected: It is critical that people in Santa Barbara County register to receive emergency alerts. Sign up for Aware and Prepare emergency alerts at lfwe can't reach you, we can't alert you. For updates through social media, on Twitter and Facebook. For general information, call 21 1 from 805 area code or outside of 805, or text your zip code to

4 Permanezca Conectado: Es muy importante que las personas en el Condado de Santa Barbara se registren para recibir alertas de emergencias. lnscribase para recibir las alertas por medic de lnformados y Preparados (Aware and Prepare) en Si no podemos localizarlo, no podemos alertarlo. Para actualizaciones por las redes sociales, en en Facebook. Para informaci6n en general, llame al desde el c6digo de area 805, o al para fuera del 805, o mande por texto su c6digo postal al

5 COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE 105 E. Anapamu St., Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara CA (805) FAX (805) Contact: Santa Barbara County Joint Information Center Media Only Press Release March 21, 2018 Update on March Storm As of March 21, 2pm (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Those in the Extreme and High Risks areas are required to evacuate at noon on Tuesday (March 20). To determine if a residence or business is in the evacuation area, consult the evacuation boundaries map at ReadySBC.org or call The Red Cross will open an evacuation center at Earl Warren Showgrounds, Warren Hall, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, at noon on Tuesday (March 20). Anyone evacuated or otherwise affected by the approaching storm is welcome to find relief and comfort at this location. For assistance evacuating large and small animals, contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services hotline at According to the National Weather Service this storm is projected to have the heaviest rainfall and the longest duration of this winter storm season. All models indicate high confidence in rainfall totals and the duration of the storm. -MORE According to Rob Lewin, director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, the amount of rain and the intensity is enough to cause flooding even without the impact of the recent fires. "We could experience localized flooding and road closures which are not isolated to the burn areas. The threat of rock falls, mud slides and debris flow is high, " he noted. The California Highway Patrol (CHP), the National Weather Service and public safety partners will monitor storm activity to ensure Highway 101 remains open to facilitate resident evacuations. If Highway 101 needs to be closed, CHP would do so just prior to the arrival of the intense portion of the storm. Bands of rain, timing, and intensity will guide this decision. Closure information will be communicated broadly to the public as decisions are made.

6 Community members should go to ReadySBC.org for up-to-date information on evacuations and road closures. In English: Stay Connected: It is critical that people in Santa Barbara County register to receive emergency alerts. Sign up for Aware and Prepare emergency alerts at If we can't reach you, we can't alert you. -30 For updates through social media, on Twitter and Facebook. For general information, call from 805 area code or outside of 805, or text your zip code to Permanezca Conectado: Es muy importante que las personas en el Condado de Santa Barbara se registren para recibir alertas de emergencias. lnscrfbase para recibir las alertas por media de lnformados y Preparados (Aware and Prepare) en Si no podemos localizarlo, no podemos alertarlo. Para actualizaciones par las redes sociales, en en Facebook. Para informaci6n en general, llame al desde el c6digo de area 805, o al para fuera del 805, o mande por texto su c6digo postal al

7 COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE 105 E. Anapamu St., Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara CA (805) FAX (805) PRESS RELEASE March 22, 2018 Contact: Santa Barbara County Joint Information Center Media Line Only Mandatory Evacuation Orders Lifted for Santa Barbara County Effective Today (Thursday, March 22) at 5 p.m. Recommended Evacuation Warning Lifted for the Alamo Fire Bum Areas (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, in consultation with Unified Command and other public safety officials, has announced that effective today (Thursday, March 22) at 5 p.m., Mandatory Evacuation Orders will be lifted for all areas. The Recommended Evacuation Warning issued for the Alamo Fire burn area will also be lifted simultaneously. The National Weather Service has advised that rain rates exceeding threshold levels have now subsided and are not expected to return to the area for the remainder of the storm. Tonight, moderate to heavy showers may be experienced with possible rainfall rates reaching 0.4 inches per hour. No major debris flows are expected. Minor debris flows may occur but will not threaten populated areas. The County will monitor this storm activity closely and will remain in communication with the National Weather Service. This is the third of several weather systems that moved through the Santa Barbara south coast in the past two weeks. During each of these systems, local creeks and debris basins effectively maintained water within their boundaries and were able to carry significant amounts of rock and debris. Damage was minimal and there were no debris flows resulting in significant damage. We would like to thank the public for their swift cooperation and collaboration towards keeping our community safe. Some roads in these areas may be closed due to flooding or other hazards. Individuals returning to the area should take caution in traveling these roads and report any nonemergency hazards to the Santa Barbara County's Sheriff's Office at The County's interactive evacuation map will be updated today to reflect changes made to evacuation orders. Please visit ReadySBC.org to access the interactive evacuation map or call the Public Information Call Center at for assistance.

8 If evacuated residents who are returning to their residences have a need for wheelchair or other specialized transport needs, call Easy Lift at more- -30 Stay Connected: It is critical that people in Santa Barbara County register to receive emergency alerts. Sign up for Aware and Prepare emergency alerts at If we can't reach you, we can't alert you. For updates through social media, on Twitter and Facebook. For general information, call 21 1 from 805 area code or outside of 805, or text your zip code to Permanezca Conectado: Es muy importante que las personas en el Condado de Santa Barbara se registren para recibir alertas de emergencias. lnscribase para recibir las alertas por medio de lnformados y Preparados (Aware and Prepare) en Si no podemos localizarlo, no podemos alertarlo. Para actualizaciones por las redes sociales, en en Facebook. Para informaci6n en general, llame al desde el c6digo de area 805, o al para fuera del 805, o mande por texto su c6digo postal al