Residents in Silverado Canyon Fire Area Asked to Evacuate

Originally posted at 2:48 p.m. Oct. 31, 2014. Edited with new details.

Residents in the fire-scarred area of Silverado Canyon were being advised today to get out of their homes in advance of an overnight storm that authorities fear may lead to mudslides.

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Up to about 200 homes are in the voluntary evacuation area east of 30311 Silverado Canyon Road, according to Orange County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Hallock.

At 9 p.m., only residents will be allowed in the area.

Forecasters predict a storm is expected to dump up to a half-inch of rain over a two-hour period from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday, and up to three- quarters of an inch overall.

Because much of the vegetation in the area was torched in the September blaze, authorities are concerned about mudslides.

Sandbags were being handed out at a county fire station at 29402 Silverado Canyon Road and at Santiago Canyon Road and Modjeska Canyon Road.

Small animals may be brought to an OC Animal Care facility at 561 The City Drive South in Orange.

The American Red Cross has established a shelter at Santiago Canyon college’s gymnasium, 8045 E. Chapman Ave. It will be opened at 7 p.m. for residents.

The Silverado Fire torched almost 1,000 acres in mid-September.

The blaze was started by the sun reflecting off metal sheeting put up by someone trying to keep rodents out of a vegetable garden.

The 2-foot-high metal sheeting was wrapped around a wood border, and the reflected rays ignited the wood and grass in a backyard in the 30500 block of Silverado Canyon Road.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo credit: Nicole Mooradian.

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