CZU Lightning Complex Fire: City Of Santa Cruz August 23 Update

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

August 23, 2020

SANTA CRUZ, CA — There is no imminent threat of fire to the City of Santa Cruz, but as the weather continues to change and fire conditions are unpredictable, residents should continue to prepare their homes for potential threat.

There are currently no evacuation warnings or mandatory orders for the City of Santa Cruz

City departments, including solid waste management and water, have adapted operations and are providing uninterrupted service to residents. The City has completed extensive work create defensible space around our critical infrastructures, especially for the water department, which serves more than 100,000 residents in the County.

Volunteers, City retirees and City staff continue to proactively canvass neighborhoods with fire safety support and education. They will continue working east along the wild land urban interface, and residents are encouraged to do their part by creating defensible space on their own properties.

The City is contributing resources to the regional fire-fighting and recovery effort. The 8-acre city-owned property in Scotts Valley known as Sky park is serving as the main CAL-FIRE operations center for county-wide fire management. The Civic Auditorium was activated as the first shelter at 12:30 a.m. on August 19 for immediate relief for evacuated county-wide residents, and the City has continued to staff this location. Economic Development is working with displaced county-wide businesses for pop -up opportunities in downtown Santa Cruz to help limit the fiscal impacts of the crisis.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning that will carry through Monday. This warning indicates the potential for a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Create Defensible Space at Your Home

The biggest threat to homes and structures are ember ignitions within 0 to 100 feet of your home. To protect against threat, residents should prepare their homes immediately:

• Gather flammable items from the exterior of the house. Bring patio furniture, toys, doormats and trashcans inside.
• Remove flammable vegetation. This includes from exteriors and gutters.
• Leave exterior lights on. Your home should stay visible at night.
• Check on neighbors. Make sure they are preparing to leave.

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.