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CAL FIRE as of 8/19/2020 14:00pm
The current large fires are:
Warrenella (Santa Cruz Co) – 120 ac. 5% contained, Cement Plant Rd. x HWY 1
Waddell(Santa Cruz Co) – 500 ac. 0% contained, Old Coast Road X HWY 1
5-14 Fire (San Mateo Co.) – 3,000 ac. 0% contained, Olmo Truck Trail X Butano Fire Road
5-15 Fire (San Mateo Co.) – 3,000 ac. 0% contained, N. Butano Truck Trail X Dearborn Park Road
5-18 Fire (San Mateo Co.) – 3,000 ac. 0% contained, N. Butano Truck Trail X China Grade Road
*Plus additional smaller fires in the two counties
Firefighting resources are limited due to the number of fires burning throughout Northern California. Limited visibility due to smoke is hampering aircraft operations.
Over 22,000 people have been evacuated from the following areas:
EVACUATION ORDERS FOR SAN MATEO COUNTY:
- Communities of Loma Mar and Dearborn Park Area (Zone SMC E018)
- Pescadero Creek County Park Area (Zone SMC E024)
- Butano Community Area (Zone SMC E098)
- Butano State Park Area including Barranca Knolls Community (Zone SMC E019)
- Butano Creek Drainage (Zone SMC E055)
- South Skyline Blvd. Area near Highway 9 (SMC E049)
- Russian Ridge Open Space Reserve Area (Zone SMC E027)
- Middleton Tract Area (Zone SMC E044)
- Portola Redwoods State Park and the Portola Heights Community Area (Zone SMC E048)
An evacuation center has been setup at Pescadero High School at 360 Butano Cutoff, Pescadero, CA
Link to La Honda Fire Brigade CZU August Lightening Complex Fire
San Mateo County Supervisors Proclaim Local Emergency As Crews Battle Wildfires Near Loma Mar, South Coast Areas
Mandatory Evacuations Ordered for Threatened Communities, More Evacuation Warnings Expected
Aug. 19, 2020
REDWOOD CITY— The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors today proclaimed a local emergency as lightning-sparked fires forced evacuations and burned through dense vegetation near Loma Mar and South Coast areas.
The Board voted 5-0 in emergency session to approve the proclamation, which makes the County eligible for federal reimbursement for some costs associated with the response and additional flexibility for staffing and purchasing.
As of this afternoon, a series of fires collectively called the CZU August Lightning Complex Fires, had burned more than 10,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
The fires, apparently caused by lightning strikes, “have given rise to conditions of disaster and extreme peril” in local communities threatened by the blazes, according to the emergency proclamation.
Multiple communities were under mandatory evacuation orders as of today in San Mateo County, impacting approximately 1,000 residents. These include the communities of Loma Mar, Dearborn Park (west of Loma Mar), Pescadero Creek County Park area and numerous additional neighborhoods and communities. An evacuation center has been established at Pescadero High School.
The most current evacuation information can be viewed at www.smco.community.zonehaven.com.
The County of San Mateo is working closely with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), local fire agencies and the County of Santa Cruz to notify residents about impending threats, establish evacuation routes and minimize the extent of the fire.
“My hope is that everyone takes these evacuation orders seriously so that we can minimize the loss of property and maximize helping individuals and families stay out of harm’s way,” said Supervisor Don Horsley, whose District 3 encompasses the South Coast.
“We are working hard to give everyone plenty of warning so that they can secure their valuables and their pets and in many cases their livestock. The threat from this is very real and my heart goes out to everyone impacted by it.”
Warren Slocum, president of the Board of Supervisors, said, “This is unprecedented. We have never faced twin emergencies at the same time like we are now — COVID-19 and now the wildfire. These times test every one of us. What’s important to know is that we are working closely with CalFire, local fire agencies and other first responders to deploy every available resource to protect our communities.”
Residents who would like to receive email updates about the fires can follow the link below to opt-in: https://tinyurl.com/czulightning
Fire updates are also available on Twitter at @calfireczu and @sanmateoco
Note: “CZU” stands for CalFire’s “San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit”
For an overview of local response to the wildfires, visit https://www.smcgov.org/smc-wildfire-response
Today’s Board agenda and proclamation can be found at https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
SMC Wildfire Response
August 19, 2020 – There are 4 fires burning in southern San Mateo County. The 5-15 Dearborn Fire is burning approximately 1.5 miles south of Loma Mar. The 5-18 North Butano Fire is burning 2.5 miles west of the Middleton Tract community. The 5-14 Olmo Fire is burning 1.5 miles south of Middleton Tract. Over 500 firefighters are on the ground and in the air working through the night to prevent fire spread and to insure the community’s safety.
Due to fire activity in the area, evacuations are currently underway with the help of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and volunteers.
If you have not already been evacuated, please be prepared to leave your property if the fire continues to progress near your residence. Recommended actions include packing your vehicle with personal belongings, securing buildings, packing medications and ensuring your vehicle has fuel.
Visit www.readyforwildfire.org to learn how to prepare. More information will be available at: https://www.smco.community.zonehaven.com/ zone SMC-E018
EVACUATION ORDERS: Due to increased fire activity in the area residents are requested to evacuate the listed areas.
- South Skyline Blvd. Area near Highway 9 (SMC E049)
- Russian Ridge Open Space Reserve Area (Zone SMC E027)
- Middleton Tract Area (Zone SMC E044)
- Portola Redwoods State Park and the Portola Heights Community Area (Zone SMC E048)
*An evacuation center has been setup at Pescadero High School at 360 Butano Cutoff, Pescadero, CA
Additional information at: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Large animal evacuation services are currently underway with volunteers who have been planning for such an event for many years.
Residents who would like to receive email updates can follow the link below to opt-in: https://tinyurl.com/czulightning
CalFire San Mateo County has set up a website where the public can get the latest news updates on the fires. Go to: https://tinyurl.com/czulightning
View the most current evacuation information at:
Author: Coastside Buzz
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