Evacuation Warnings Issued In Santa Cruz Mountains

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Evacuation warnings were issued for several communities near the area of the CZU fire burn scar Monday evening.

The National Weather Service was monitoring the possibility of debris flows in fire burn scar areas across the region and evacuation warnings came just after 5 p.m. in North County and parts of Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton and Paradise Park, officials said.

Debris flow is a risk in sloped areas following a large wildfire and can cause more injuries than the wildfire itself.

A full list of zones under evacuation warning can be found from Zonehaven.

An evacuation warning indicates that there is a "potential threat to life and/or property," officials said via Zonehaven.

"Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now," officials said.

No temporary evacuation points were available as of this writing.

Anyone leaving their home should be cautious, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said. High winds are in the forecast. Trees may have fallen and roads could be closed.

The San Lorenzo River rose as rain continued to fall in the San Lorenzo Valley and elsewhere as an atmospheric river passed over Santa Cruz County. An atmospheric river is a long, narrow channel of water vapor akin to a river in the sky.

Farther down stream, the San Lorenzo River at Santa Cruz is also continuing to rise, and is nearly a foot below action stage at this time. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/oVzEv0LUbc
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 13, 2021

The sheriff's office offered the following tips to evacuees.

• Follow instructions from local officials, including for travel routes.
• Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
• Take your emergency go-bag or disaster supply kit.
• Lock your home.
• Shut off water, gas and electricity if instructed to do so.
• Let others know when you left and where you are going.
• Make arrangements for pets and livestock, if necessary.