By Jondi Gumz
NOTE: Felton was ordered to evacuate shortly after 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20.
With at least 7,000 residents in Big Basin, Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon evacuated due to the 25,000-acre August Lightning Complex fires, Chief Chris Clark of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday night that people in Scotts Valley “should be prepared to evacuate.”
A temporary stage for fire briefings is being built at Skypark In Scotts Valley.
Clark said notification will come from the Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday, 40 deputies went door to door on both sides of Highway 9 south to River Road in Brookdale telling residents to leave.
“Once you’re told to get out, do not hesitate, do not wait,” Clark said.
He recommended residents keep watch for announcements on social media, such as the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Clark shared that “prepare to evacuate” message at a 6 p.m. CalFire press conference at the Scotts Valley Senior Center, which has become command central for the state agency, which is overseeing the battle against a fire raging in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.
CalFire San Mateo Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox said 20 single-family homes have been destroyed but he could not identify locations, saying it was too early.
Firefighters face a mighty challenge.
The air has been so smoky that it’s unsafe for airplanes and helicopters to fly, making it impossible to delineate the boundaries of the fire.
The weather has been unusual — 100 degree temperatures and fog for a week.
With 367 wildfires blazing and the state hard-hit by COVID-19, CalFire is short of crews.
“We are almost tapped out,” said CalFire operations chief Mark Brunton.
“We’re nervous when we don’t have the resources,” Cox said.
Asked if CalFire might call in an Ohlone tribal shaman rainmaker, Cox looked doubtful.
CalFire incident commander Billy See listens to questions from local residents.
The size of the fire has grown because it stretches over two neighboring counties. In Santa Cruz County, it includes the Waddell Fire and the Warnella Fire.
Santa Cruz County has seen major fires in the not too recent past, such as the Lockheed Fire and the Martin Fire in Bonny Doon, but in San Mateo County where wildlands are burning, it’s been 50 years since the last big fire.
The area is not accessible by foot or by vehicle.
CalFire’s Billy See, the incident commander, said a CalFire station at Big Creek off Swanton Road in Santa Cruz County is at risk.
Once the press conference was over and See exited the senior center, he was surrounded by local residents with questions.
But there were no more answers Wednesday night.