Santa Cruz County opens evacuation centers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) David and Robin Colleen left their Bonny Doon home in a matter of minutes, Wednesday morning. "When you see the intense orange in the sky approaching you, it's like the gates of hell have opened up. You don't know what's coming next," said David.
They safely arrived at the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds, but they didn't come alone. "Loading the turkeys was quite a challenge. The rabbits and the cats are pretty stressed. They're in the car too," said Robin,
Over 100 evacuees have checked into two shelter sites set up by Santa Cruz County and the American Red Cross:
- Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA
- Santa Cruz Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Avenue, Watsonville, CA
Water, food and shelter are provided at all hours of the day. Pets are also welcome.
"This is unlike anything we've seen in Santa Cruz County in a long, long time. Nearly one-third of the county is on fire," said Santa Cruz County Spokesperson, Jason Hoppin.
Hoppin said the need has been overwhelming. With around 20,000 people evacuated, the county is struggling to find space and resources. "We are asking people to find accommodations with friends and family, whether that's in the county or out of the county, if they can," said Hoppin.
Santa Cruz County is working to expand their evacuation centers. Hoppin said they are looking into partnering with local hotels.
Many evacuees are waiting to hear if their homes made it through the night. "The firefighters are putting their lives on the line to fight the fire, not to keep us informed. We need to be patient and wait for news as it comes," said David.
Santa Cruz County is in need of large tents to shelter evacuees. Those interested in making a donation can drop off at 1082 Emeline, Santa Cruz, CA.
For more information on evacuation accommodations, call the American Red Cross at 1-866-272-2237.
For more information on evacuating animals, call 831-471-1182.
