Santa Barbara County issues evacuation orders as major storm approaches
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for residents below the Thomas Fire and Sherpa/Whittier Fire burn areas, as a winter storm bears down on the Central Coast.
The evacuation order begins Tuesday at 10 a.m.
According to a Sheriff’s Office statement, those areas are at risk of debris flows from the large amount of rain expected this week. The storm is expected to subside Tuesday night, while another will arrive Wednesday evening.
“In the event of a significant debris flow, people living adjacent to the evacuation order areas, particularly in Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria, could become stranded if roads become damaged or impassible,” read the release. “Residents in these adjacent areas should be prepared for this possibility and consider leaving the area during the evacuation. “
This latest warning comes a little more than a year after the devastating mudslides that ravaged Montecito and parts of Santa Barbara County.
Residents were urged to gather family, pets and essential items Monday night so they would be ready to leave by no later than 10 a.m. Tuesday.
El Montecito Pre-School and Crane Country Day School are expected to close, while other schools will have alternate school sites.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been set up at the Goleta Valley Community Center at 5679 Hollister Avenue in Goleta. People who need assistance evacuation animals are asked to contact the Animal Hotline at 805-681-4332.
A detailed map of the evacuation order zones is available here.
This story was originally published January 14, 2019 at 6:08 PM.
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