Guidelines for returning home after evacuations are lifted

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Thousands of people were allowed to return home Monday after evacuation orders and warnings were lifted for some areas once blocked off as Central Coast wildfires raged.

Cal Fire is reminding the public to stay up to date on current fire conditions and keep an eye out for dangers as you return home.

The agency said if you see electrical wires on the ground, stay clear and contact PG&E immediately.

Also, if trees or poles are still smoldering, Cal Fire said they should be considered hazardous.

The agency put up these pamphlets in neighborhoods with steps you can take to stay safe starting from your drive into your property all the way to in home inspections.

Residents are relieved to return home after being forced to evacuate.

“I’m very happy to be home and feeling normal again,” said Lindsey Terry, a Las Palmas neighbor.

The Las Palmas neighborhood in Salinas was let back in Monday.

We found some locals taking back all the boxes they brought with them, but others, like Terry's family, are already unpacked and back to daily activities like grocery shopping.

“We just stuck to the basics of making sure that we would be able to survive. Mainly just the clothes and the personal items that we felt we couldn’t replace,” Terry said.

But as locals return home, Cal Fire says many dangers may still remain.
Depending on what neighborhood you live in, you may need to watch out for debris in the roadways or check for damaged electrical equipment. 

Cal Fire says it’s important to look for fire or fire damage in and around your home as well.

“You kind of want to do a little walk around, look for anything that’s been damaged or mostly hot embers. You want to make sure they’re not in the gutters,” Cal Fire PIO Cristina Barkdull said.

Cal Fire said you can alert authorities in your area if you return to any concerning situations and in case of an emergency call 911.

Report any electrical problems to PG&E.

Cal Fire also wants to remind the public to adhere to road closures and evacuation orders or warnings.

Click here to download the Returning Home After a Wildfire checklist: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/CALFIRE_ReturningHomeAfterAFire_Revised.pdf

Click here for more wildfire preparedness resources: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/

Click here to view the latest evacuation information: https://montereyco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=7d58123d22244fa9b2cb8540ce38c2fb