SEE: Santa Cruz Mountain Communities Sustain Significant Damage

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County officials continue to urge the public to stay out of evacuation zones as damage inspection teams encounter melted roads, crumbling bridges and trees that continue to fall throughout the burn area.

Falling trees could cause serious injury or damages.

As of Thursday, 646 buildings have been confirmed destroyed in the wildfires known as the CZU August Lightning Complex. In some areas where the flames have subsided, crews have begun the difficult work of clearing roads, restoring utilities and making way for residents to return home at some point.

Firefighters Begin Controlled Burn: CZU Lightning Complex Fires

As crews make their way through these communities, they've seen trees toppled atop homes, cars and roads, according to the Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit (CZU). Infrastructure has significantly deteriorated.

See some of the hazards crews have encountered below:

MORE HAZARDS: Intense heat from the #CZULightningComplex melted this section of asphalt road. This is one of many hazards in the burn area. pic.twitter.com/BaAvXJG9a2
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 27, 2020

HAZARD TREE DOWN: One of many. #CZULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/Z1u3HtfnPF
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 27, 2020

Several bridges have also been compromised in the fire area and will likely need inspected and/or rebuilt. This one was partially burned in the Gazos Creek Road area of San Mateo County. #CZULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/TqfjL5eII7
— Jeff Christner (@SixbyFire) August 27, 2020

SAFETY MESSAGE: We cannot stress this enough. Trees are falling all over the #CZULightningComplex burn scar. They’ve fallen on homes, cars, roads. We must allow safety inspectors to do their jobs. Thank you for your patience! And be safe. pic.twitter.com/z3KbDYvo9U
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 27, 2020

One of the dangers of the burned and evacuated areas — the trees. This could fall at a moments notice and inflict major damage or injury. Please, stay out. We promise we will get residents in when it is safe to do so.#CZULighteningComplex pic.twitter.com/CXydXOiDCI
— Santa Cruz SO (@SantaCruzSO1) August 24, 2020

This is not just work, this is home and we will do everything in our power to protect it. #CZULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/esMYNaIBqf
— Santa Cruz SO (@SantaCruzSO1) August 26, 2020