Residents required to evacuate from burn scar areas
MarBorg equipment was brought in to salvage a boat that washed up at East Beach on Wednesday. The salvage efforts were ended when waves became too high, but MarBorg left the equipment there in case the boat could be salvaged later.
Evacuation orders were issued Wednesday for the burn scar areas of the Thomas, Alisal and Cave fires as Santa Barbara County braced for a heavy storm and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch.
The orders affected the entire Alisal burn scar and specific parcels in the vulnerable sections of the Cave and Thomas scars.
The South County evacuation center opened up at the Wake Center at 300 N. Turnpike Road, Santa Barbara. And on Wednesday, Santa Barbara County Animal Services was prepared to take in small animals during the evacuations, and large animals could be taken to Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday estimated that 4 to 8 inches of rain could fall within a 24-hour period in Santa Barbara County, with some areas getting as much as 10 inches.
The heaviest amount of rain was expected to fall between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 5 this morning. The most intense downpours were predicted to happen between midnight and 3 a.m.
Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor compares the storm hitting Santa Barbara County on Wednesday night to a 1969 storm in the same area. Listening at the Santa Barbara news conference are, from left, 2nd District Supervisor Laura Capps, 1st District Supervisor Das Williams and Sheriff Bill Brown.
Sheriff Bill Brown said the county would also likely be dealing with winds as fast as 50 to 60 mph on Wednesday night. He told reporters during a news conference Wednesday afternoon that there was concern about the saturation of the soil, the potential of trees coming down and the potential for increased rainfall in the foothill communities.
The news conference, which took place on the county government campus by Calle Real in Santa Barbara, also included Montecitio Fire Chief Kevin Taylor. He talked to reporters a few days before the five-year anniversary of the Jan. 9, 2018 debris flow that devastated Montecito and cost 23 lives.
“First and foremost, the flood conveyance in Montecito at this moment is functioning as designed,” Chief Taylor said, answering a question from the News-Press.
He said water flows were clear and the debris basins were cleaned out and ready to receive material.
“We are the beneficiary of a brand new debris basin at Randall Road, a great community project that was done in record time,” Chief Taylor said. “That will most definitely have an impact on the amount of risk for the community.”
Earlier at the news conference, Chief Taylor said Wednesday night’s storm was expected to be less significant than the one that occurred on Jan. 9, 2018, but added, “It is still powerful and should be taken seriously. In the last 30 days, our community has received 8 to 13 inches of rain. The forecast is for up to 10 inches. This accumulative rain and saturation is what causes our risk.”
Chief Taylor compared Wednesday’s storm to a 1969 storm that triggered debris-laden floods in watersheds in the Santa Barbara area. That storm came five years after the Coyote Fire.
The 2018 debris flow followed the December 2017 Thomas Fire.
Up the coast from Montecito, the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol was working Wednesday on getting anchored boats moved to more secure mooring spaces before the worst of the storm hit.
“Our Harbor Patrol is making every effort to make sure all those boats are brought into the safe harbor area so those efforts are currently ongoing, to make sure none of those in the free mooring area are left out there,” Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon said, answering a question from the News-Press.
She added, “We have the ability to respond if those vessels end up on the beach.”
The Harbor Patrol’s efforts, in fact, were praised by Heal the Ocean.
“Heal the Ocean gives a shout out to City Harbor Patrol Officer Erik Engebretson for going out into the ‘Fools Anchorage’ (as it is called) and inviting anchored boats to move into the shelter of the Santa Barbara Harbor,” said Hillary Hauser, the nonprofit’s president and executive director. “Approximately 18 boats did, greatly reducing the possible casualties of boats hitting the beach.
“So far, Heal the Ocean has paid for getting crashed boats off the beach, together with their gas and oil tanks, sewage tanks, etc.,” Ms. Hauser told the News-Press.
That includes money that Heal the Ocean has paid MarBorg Industries for salvage efforts.
On Wednesday, MarBorg brought in equipment to salvage a boat that washed up on East Beach in Santa Barbara, but Ms. Hauser said the salvage was called off because of high waves and the risk they posed to MarBorg equipment.
“So that boat will break up on the beach with hazardous materials, etc.,” Ms. Hauser said.
She soon contacted the News-Press again to report MarBorg was leaving its equipment on East Beach in case it could move in later as the boat broke up.
Ms. Hauser also noted Heal the Ocean would no longer cover the expense of paying the cleanup costs and that the public would need to look to the Santa Barbara City Council and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors for help.
“We are no longer using donor money to clean up boats that crash because of irresponsible boat owners,” Ms. Hauser said.
email: dmason@newspress.com
FYI
For the latest on Santa Barbara County’s response to storms, see readysbc.org. You can also get information by dialing 2-1-1.
