Evacuation Order Canceled for Alisal Fire Burn Area

Update by the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
2:00 p.m., December 14, 2021

Evacuation Order for Parts of the Alisal Fire Burn Area is Canceled

Refugio Road is open to local residents only.
Take caution when returning home. Heavy rainfall overnight resulted in movement of debris and road flooding. Expect flooding, slick roads and debris in the area.
Be aware that response crews are continuing clean-up efforts on Refugio Road.
Stay alert to changing conditions

Update by the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
4:00 p.m., December 13, 2021

An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued due to an incoming storm arriving today with the potential to produce flooding and debris flows. This Order is effective Monday, December 13 at 12 p.m. (noon) and applies to the following areas in and around the Alisal Fire burn scar: west of Las Flores Canyon, east of Mariposa Reina, south of West Camino Cielo, and down to the ocean. Click the button on the right to access the interactive evacuation map.

For Evacuation Center information, contact the American Red Cross at (805) 901-0845.
Do not attempt to drive while it is dark or raining as roads may be damaged and your car may be swept away by moving water or debris.
Strong winds are also expected which can cause flying debris in roadways and power outages.
Please be prepared to sustain yourself and your household for multiple days if you choose not to evacuate, as you may not be able to leave the area and emergency responders may not be able to access your property in the event of road damage or a debris flow.

Click here for an evacuation map

Additionally, the National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch beginning at 6 p.m. today. Do not attempt to drive while it is dark or raining, as roads may be damaged and vehicles may be swept away by moving water or debris. Please be prepared to sustain yourself and your household for multiple days if you choose not to evacuate, as you may not be able to leave the area and emergency responders may not be able to access your property in the event of road damage or a debris flow.

Animal Evacuations

Call Santa Barbara County Animal Services at (805) 681-4332 Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm.

If you need animal evacuation support outside those hours, please call their after-hours phone line at (805) 683-2724.

Current Weather

Visit https://www.weather.gov/lox/ for the latest weather forecast.

Road Closures

No road closures are reported at this time.

County Proclaims Local Emergency

The Board of Supervisors will consider ratification of a Local Emergency Proclamation at its meeting tomorrow, December 14, as an emergency item on the agenda. The County proclaimed a local emergency today due to the incoming storm with the potential to produce flash flooding, and mud and debris flows in and around the Alisal Fire burn scar.

The proclamation was executed by the Santa Barbara County Executive Officer, as the Director of Emergency Services. Proclaiming a local state of emergency is an essential step for local governments dealing with significant incidents. It ensures that all county resources are available to respond to the storm. Having the proclamation in place also helps facilitate state and federal assistance for emergency response.

The Alisal Fire began at approximately 2:30 p.m. on October 11,2021, burning near the Alisal Reservoir. The fire burned 16,970 acres before being declared 100 percent contained on November 20. Twelve residences were destroyed and the fire caused significant damage to the watershed. The Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) team found that 6,255 acres suffered high- or moderate-burn severity. The area has steep topography and silt, rock and material are already accumulating within the chutes and watercourses.

The County of Santa Barbara, in partnership with the National Weather Service, is closely monitoring the incoming storm. County officials are working closely with the United States Forest Service Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team, the CAL Fire Watershed Emergency Response Team (WERT), and local agencies to further assess the potential risks for debris flows.

To stay connected to incident information and preparedness tips, go to readysbc.org.

Update by the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
December 12, 2021

An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued due to an incoming storm predicted to arrive late Monday afternoon, Dec. 13 through early Tuesday morning with the potential to produce flooding, and mud and debris flows. This EVACUATION WARNING is effective at noon today (Sunday, December 12) and applies to the following area(s): west of Las Flores Canyon, east of Mariposa Reina, south of West Camino Cielo, and down to the ocean. Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

This warning is being issued in anticipation that it will become necessary to put this area into an evacuation order tomorrow afternoon unless there are significant changes to the weather forecast between now and tomorrow.

Please remain alert and prepare family members, pets, and essential items. If you feel threatened at any time, leave immediately. Do not wait for an alert to evacuate. People with disabilities, access and functional needs should leave now. People with large animals should leave now.

Do not attempt to drive while it is dark or raining, as roads may be damaged and your car may be swept away by moving water or debris. Please be prepared to sustain yourself and your household for multiple days if you choose not to evacuate, as you may not be able to leave the area and emergency responders may not be able to access your property in the event of road damage or a debris flow.

Commuters using US-101 through the Gaviota Coast and CA-154 on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning should check road conditions, and consider working remotely if that is an option.

For Evacuation Center information, contact the American Red Cross at (805) 901-0845. To stay connected to incident information and preparedness tips, go to ReadySBC.org.

Source: Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
December 10, 2021

Santa Barbara County public safety officials, in partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS), are closely monitoring an incoming storm system that is expected to arrive the evening of Monday, December 13. At this time, the NWS has projected rainfall rates that have the potential to produce flooding and debris flows in the Alisal Fire burn area. Strong winds are also expected which can cause flying debris in roadways and power outages. As more information becomes available on potential storm impacts, County officials will take steps to notify residents of the Alisal Fire burn area if any protective actions are necessary. All residents are encouraged to monitor NWS weather forecasts and local media in the coming days, and prepare now for potential storm impacts.

For the latest weather information from NWS, visit https://www.weather.gov/lox/ and enter a city or zip code for local forecasts. Storm readiness information and resources are available at www.ReadySBC.org/storm-ready/. For information in Spanish, visit www.ReadySBC.org/es/preparacion-de-tormenta/.

Los oficiales de seguridad pública del Condado de Santa Bárbara, en coordinación con el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (NWS, por sus siglas en ingles), están monitoreando un sistema de tormenta entrante que se espera llegue la noche del lunes 13 de diciembre. En este momento, el NWS ha proyectado tasas de lluvia que podrían resultar en posibles inundaciones y flujos de escombros en el área quemada por el Incendio Alisal. También se esperan fuertes vientos que pueden causar escombros en las carreteras y cortes de energía. A medida que haya más información disponible sobre los posibles impactos de las tormentas, los oficiales del Condado tomarán medidas para notificar a los residentes del área quemada por el Incendio Alisal si es necesario tomar acciones de protección. Se alienta a todos los residentes a monitorear los pronósticos meteorológicos del NWS y los medios de comunicación locales en los próximos días, y prepararse ahora para posibles impactos de tormentas.

Para obtener la información meteorológica más reciente de NWS, visite https://www.weather.gov/lox/ e ingrese una ciudad o código postal para ver los pronósticos locales. La información y los recursos de preparación para tormentas están disponibles en www.ReadySBC.org/es/preparacion-de-tormenta/.

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CoastWatch says:

December 12, 2021 at 8:50 am Copy Link of a Comment

Prediction- 1)There will be multiple accidents on 101 SB between 6am -9am on Tuesday, just North of the Gaviota Tunnel. 2) There will be multiple accidents on 101 NB , just South of the Gaviota Tunnel between 3pm-6pm on Tuesday… 3) Garden St Underpass will be flooded. 4) There will be a Transient swift water rescue in Mission Creek between Micheltorena all the way down Castillo to the beach.

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