Visitors asked to avoid Santa Cruz County to help keep beds open for evacuees

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION)

The Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) requested that visitors refrain from traveling to Santa Cruz County through September 1 in order to help keep beds available for local evacuees.

This request was made on behalf of more than 45,000 Santa Cruz County residents who have been displaced by the Lightning Complex Fires that are ravaging the area.

Many local hotels, motels and vacation rentals already reported being at or near capacity.

The EOC hopes to alleviate some pressure by providing 12 pop-up shelter sites with more to be expected.

Fortunately, local cities, school districts and other partners are lending a hand by establishing additional shelter sites.

Shelters are being provided medical, behavioral health, benefits enrollment, meals and other support. Pets are also welcome at most sites as long as they are under family control.

Horses and other large animals are being welcomed at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, with overflow capacity available at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Authorities will not rescue pets from the fire zone at this time. For information on animal boarding, you can contact (831) 454-7200.

If you would like to contribute to these shelter sites, cash donations are preferred as the sites have not been set up to accept object donations. Online cash donations can be made to the Fire Response Fund at www.cfscc.org.

If you are interested in volunteering at a shelter site, visit the Volunteer Center online at scvolunteercenter.org.

No-cost disaster relief accommodations may be available through Airbnb as well. To register and learn more about how Airbnb is offering to help, click here.

More the full list of shelter sites available for evacuees in Santa Cruz County and their capacity, click here.

Evacuations for the Lightning Complex Fires can be viewed on the map below: