SC Co. Opens Second Evacuation Center As SCU Lightning Fire Rages

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County has opened a second evacuation resource center, officials announced Thursday morning.

An evacuation center in Morgan Hill at Ann Sobrato High School (401 Burnett Ave.) will be open to county residents who have been forced to evacuate their homes or are facing evacuation warnings due to the SCU Lightning Complex fires.

Officials announced the opening of an evacuation center in Milpitas at the Milpitas Library (160 N. Main St.) on Wednesday.

The centers will be open to Santa Clara County residents as the SCU Lightning Complex rages.

The fires are comprised of 20 blazes burning in Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa and Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

The lightning-sparked fires began around 4 a.m. Sunday and have scorched a collective 137,475 acres, Cal Fire reported Thursday morning.

The evacuation resource center is staffed by the American Red Cross and serves to assess the needs of individuals and families impacted by the evacuations and determine appropriate resources, county officials said. The center is not a shelter but serves to assist residents with temporary housing.

All residents under an evacuation order are urged to take rapid action and leave the area immediately ahead of the fast-moving and unpredictable wildfire.

— Patch editor Sue Schena contributed to this report