Edhat Staff
First image: Evacuation Map, Second image: Interactive Debris Flow Risk Area Map
Mandatory Evacuation Orders Lifted for Santa Barbara County Effective Today (Thursday, March 22) at 5 p.m.
Recommended Evacuation Warning Lifted for the Alamo Fire Burn Areas
Tonight, moderate to heavy showers may be experienced with possible rainfall rates reaching 0.4 inches per hour. No major debris flows are expected. Minor debris flows may occur but will not threaten populated areas. The County will monitor this storm activity closely and will remain in communication with the National Weather Service.
This is the third of several weather systems that moved through the Santa Barbara south coast in the past two weeks. During each of these systems, local creeks and debris basins effectively maintained water within their boundaries and were able to carry significant amounts of rock and debris. Damage was minimal and there were no debris flows resulting in significant damage. We would like to thank the public for their swift cooperation and collaboration towards keeping our community safe.
Some roads in these areas may be closed due to flooding or other hazards. Individuals returning to the area should take caution in traveling these roads and report any non-emergency hazards to the Santa Barbara County’s Sheriff’s Office at 805-681-4100.
The County’s interactive evacuation map will be updated today to reflect changes made to evacuation orders. Please visit ReadySBC.org to access the interactive evacuation map or call the Public Information Call Center at 833-688-5551 for assistance.
If evacuated residents who are returning to their residences have a need for wheelchair or other specialized transport needs, call Easy Lift at 805-681-1180.
Update by the County of Santa Barbara
Mandatory Evacuation Order Issued Effective at Noon Tuesday, March 19 for Extreme and High Risk Areas (Red, Yellow and Grey on Debris Flow Risk Map)
Individuals in the Alamo burn area are in a Recommended Evacuation Warning area.
People with access and functional needs in the Extreme and High Risk areas should consider immediate evacuation. Owners of large animals and livestock should consider relocating immediately.
Updated meteorological models by the National Weather Service indicate that there is potential for rainfall intensity of between .5 to .75 inches per hour, which could trigger debris flows at any time during the storm. In addition, the storm is expected to bring between 5 and 10 inches of rain in the foothills and mountains, significantly more total rainfall than the 1/9 Debris Flow, which brought between 3 and 6 inches to the region.
Those in the Extreme and High Risks areas are required to evacuate at noon on Tuesday (March 20). To determine if a residence or business is in the evacuation area, consult the evacuation boundaries map at ReadySBC.org or call 2-1-1.
The Red Cross will open an evacuation center at Earl Warren Showgrounds, Warren Hall, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, at noon on Tuesday (March 20). Anyone evacuated or otherwise affected by the approaching storm is welcome to find relief and comfort at this location. For assistance evacuating large and small animals, contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services hotline at 805-681-4332.
According to the National Weather Service this storm is projected to have the heaviest rainfall and the longest duration of this winter storm season. All models indicate high confidence in rainfall totals and the duration of the storm.
According to Rob Lewin, director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, the amount of rain and the intensity is enough to cause flooding even without the impact of the recent fires. “We could experience localized flooding and road closures which are not isolated to the burn areas. The threat of rock falls, mud slides and debris flow is high,” he noted.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP), the National Weather Service and public safety partners will monitor storm activity to ensure Highway 101 remains open to facilitate resident evacuations. If Highway 101 needs to be closed, CHP would do so just prior to the arrival of the intense portion of the storm. Bands of rain, timing, and intensity will guide this decision. Closure information will be communicated broadly to the public as decisions are made. Community members should go to ReadySBC.org for up-to-date information on evacuations and road closures.
Source: County of Santa Barbara
A Pre-Evacuation Advisory has been continued for the Thomas, Sherpa, Whittier, and Alamo Fire burn areas due to an approaching winter storm forecasted for Tuesday night. This is the time to prepare you and your family for evacuation within the next 48 hours if you live near a burn area in Santa Barbara County.
The National Weather Service forecast there is the potential for a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rainfall with this system, with highest rainfall intensities expected to occur sometime between the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22. During this time, rainfall rates will likely exceed USGS thresholds, bring a threat of significant flash flooding and debris flows in recent burn areas. The forecast currently is indicating rainfall rates per hour of .50 to .75 inches. Peak 3 hour rates of 1.00 to 2.00 inches. Total rainfall could be 4.00 to 6.00 inches in the south facing foothills/mountains.
The County, emergency officials and the National Weather Service are closely monitoring the situation and will alert the public with more information as the storm approaches. Impact areas need to prepare for an evacuation for Tuesday night through Thursday.
Public and Private schools will be providing information on closures or relocation sites as the storm get closer.
Debris flows are predicted in or near creeks and channels. Because this storm is longer duration with total rainfall up to 6 inches in the mountains, mudslides and rockfall in or near the burn areas are possible.
If at any time during this storm, or any storm, anyone feels threatened, action should be taken to leave for high ground or a safe area. Do not wait for a notification. If an individual or family has access or functional needs, or has large animals to move, consider leaving well in advance. For more information on the risk please go to ReadySBC.org. To go directly to the Interactive Debris Flow Risk Areas map, visit ReadySBC.org/StormReadyMap. Please also standby for future updates.
A Pre-Evacuation Advisory has been issued for the areas below the Thomas, Sherpa, Whittier and Alamo fires due to an approaching winter storm forecasted for Tuesday night . This is the time to prepare for evacuation within the next 72 hours for anyone who lives near a burn area in Santa Barbara County.
The National Weather Service forecast indicates there is the potential for a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rainfall with this system, with highest rainfall intensities expected to occur sometime between late Tuesday night, March 20 through early Thursday, March 22. During this time, rainfall rates will likely exceed USGS thresholds and bring the threat of significant flash flooding and debris flows in recent burn areas. The forecast currently is indicating rainfall rates of .5 to .75 inches per hour.
“Based on today’s forecast from the National Weather Service, this is the most powerful storm of the season since the 1/9 Debris Flow,” said Rob Lewin, director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management.
The County, emergency officials and the National Weather Service are closely monitoring the situation and will alert the public with more information as the storm approaches. Impact areas need to prepare for the possibility of an evacuation for Tuesday through Thursday.
If at any time during this storm, or any storm, anyone feels threatened, action should be taken to leave for high ground or a safe area. Do not wait for a notification. If an individual or family has access or functional needs, or has large animals to move, consider leaving well in advance.
For more information on the risk please go to ReadySBC.org. To go directly to the Interactive Debris Flow Risk Areas map, visit ReadySBC.org/StormReadyMap. Please also standby for future updates.
Just read in the SB Botanic Garden magazine, the fire scarred country side gets 60% revegetation after the first year, and 90% after the second year after a fire. The ground will soon start holding rain water. And rains are expected now only for another month or so. But these next few months will remain very tough for all those who now live so precariously in the potential flood plains. I hope you share your stories about what we should all be thinking about, when it comes to immediate evacuation threats. How do we stay ready and live normal lives at the same time.
Why are comments expressing hope for rain being downvoted? Are we really that sensitive now that it’s not PC to want rain? Sorry for the tragedy in Montecito, but like it or not, we as a civilization depend on rainfall.
Just got a Mandatory Evacuation Order for ALL risk areas – red, yellow and grey. They’re not taking this one lightly folks. If you are anywhere near these areas, get ready to leave before it starts!
This is serious folks. We could even repeat 1/9. If anyone remembers the “March Miracle” from the early 90s, it looks like we may be repeating that. That wreaked havoc all over downtown SB and Goleta. All the tools for tracking this are at the weather links at SBitZ.net. John Wiley and I set up that list so you could access info directly, especially if Edhat become overloaded. Pay attention to the doppler radar, precipitation accumulation maps, and even the wind direction. I am personally fascinated by the 8km animated water vapor map because it shows the “atmospheric river” realtime. If the winds blow due north, we’ll get orographic rainfall with heavy precipitation at the high elevations on the ridge. Look at the links and comment here. I absolutely love rain. Being from Northern California, I have been rain deprived here in SB. However, this is too much rain for that state of our burned chaparral.
The SB Botanic Garden was devastated by the Jesusita fire and published photos of their own property one year later. Be sure to read their article in Ironwood.
I’m disappointed that it seems the County has lost its courage in giving information about approaching storm. KEYT weather people are saying “moderate” rain. Why so fearful to report, and plan for, facts from the experts? It seems that a few evacuations that weren’t needed (good), made y’all stub your toe, and now you’re afraid to speak up too early. Back to the way it used to be.
SB Botanic Garden Exec Director reports: After having more than 70% of the Garden burn, and losing several structures in the 2009 Jesusita Fire ….. the director’s house and another historic structure now replaced with the Pritzlaff Conservation Center. From Ironwood: Botanists find certain wildflowers that you see only after a fire …as herbaceous flowering plants take advantage of the clearing and release of nutrients into the soil to spring from seeds that have lain dormant for years…. these plants are called “fire followers”. Their seeds are tough enough to withstand intense heat and they respond to temperature and chemical cues brought on by fire, ash, and smoke. …It is now seen as unnecessary to reseed with non-native rye grass to control soil erosion because of this proliferation of “fire followers”. Hay bales and jute netting are the preferred methods of controlling post-fire erosion until new plant life is established. The local coastal sage and chaparral are fire adapted plant communities that have evolved to depend on fires to set the stage for their renewal. ….” (From: SBBotanicGarden “Ironwood” magazine)
The edhat staff reviews all downvoted comments and will restore them if they do not violate our comment policies. -ed
Flicka – I think there are 2 maps. 1 just showing the evacuation order zones (all red) and the other showing debris flow risk zones (red and yellow). As for the person who has been saying no one will die and nothing will be shut down, well that is someone I won’t name (because if I do, this information I have given you will be deleted apparently) and he/she is either completely ignorant, or just a troll.
So you go to Chaucer’s very interesTING….Hmmmm.
Well, you’ve been warned people. If you don’t leave now don’t call for help later!
420722 – People are still capable of facing emergencies if they are outside the mandatory evacuation zones. That happened to many on 1/9. Try to remember that please. These storms aren’t 100% predictable and things can and do happen that folks haven’t prepared for.
Here in Solvang we saw a few periods of heavier rain. Mainly it is steady. Follow the radar maps and you will see that some significant rain will be overnight tonight (here, at least), with the most significant/dangerous beginning tomorrow near the evening commute time and continuing into the late hours.
The update is about the mandatory evacuation area so naturally I was talking about the mandatory evacuation area. Not once did I say outside the area, unprepared folks or storm predictability..
EDHAT – Some people (or just one miserable troll) appear to be downvoting comments that are providing information on this upcoming storm. Please do not allow these to be deleted as we need all the information we can get from our fellow residents.
Thank you for noticing as well. Edhat, I hope you do away with that feature. The miserable trolls downvoting things like FACTS and INFORMATION try to cause those posts to go away. It’s indiscriminate and doesn’t make any sense. I would subscribe again but this downvoting business has got to go first.
One other thought, Edhat – if you do insist on keeping this voting system up, maybe make the voters visible. That way we can see who is doing all the ridiculous downvoting. A little accountability would be nice.
“I’m so miserable without you, it’s almost like having you here.” Willie Nelson sang that. That’s how I’m feeling about right now, about flooding and debris flows and getting rid of that so we can get back to wildfires.
Will our Local Gov’t hacks now remove the Drought surcharge tax on our water bills???
HOORAY! Another non-event and a lot of rain too. Absolutely great news for everyone. I hope that we can repeat this in a couple of weeks and pick up another 3 inches of badly needed rain. It was so funny listening to the media freaking out and talking about “boulders washing down the creeks”.. Wow, the doom and gloom was just absolute BS. Guess they can’t pay their bills unless they scare people into paying attention to them. Thank you Roger for keeping us all informed! You are appreciated.
YETI – the events on January 9 warrant this kind of response when we’re facing a major storm. I’m sorry you don’t understand that.
I think it more like surviving Russian Roulette and then calling it a near miss. We were so lucky. The main track of the precipitation skirted SB-Montecito just to our west, and primarily went over Lompoc-Santa Maria. Had the trajectory went over us…really bad. It was impossible to know where the atmospheric river was going to make its direct hit. I ended up with close to 8″ of rain in my backyard bucket over the course of the storm. What this event did do was give us a big clue as to how our ridge can take before slumping mud into our neighborhoods.