SBC Tea Fire area evacuations - Flooding

JOINT NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - SBC Tea Fire 08–27
November 25, 2008
TIME: 7:15 PM
News Media Contact:
William Boyer, Santa Barbara County Communications Director, (805) 896-1056
Eric Boldt, Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Los Angeles/Oxnard, (805) 988-6623
Nina Johnson, Public Information Officer, City of Santa Barbara, (805) 564-5307

Santa Barbara County and City emergency officials have issued an Evacuation Order for
residents within the Tea Fire Burn Area, including the Sycamore Creek area and other areas
immediately below the fire zone.

Sycamore Canyon, Eastside & Tea Fire Area Residents Urged to Take Precautions

Evacuation area map: http://www.countyofsb.org/uploadedImages/ceo/oes/EvacAreasWeb_112508_11x17_update_2045_hrs.jpg

Santa Barbara County has initiated the County’s Reverse 9-1-1 call system to alert residents in
both the county unincorporated area and within the City of Santa Barbara. Emergency officials
are particularly concerned with the situation because this is the first rain event after the Tea Fire
occurred. Immediately after a fire, the soil geology can be very unstable and can become easily
disturbed by the first rain.

An Evacuation Order means residents are advised to leave the area now. The order includes
homes within the burn area and Sycamore Canyon, north of the Five Points Roundabout.
In the County (unincorporated) area, the evacuation order is bounded by:
• East and West Mountain Drive from Cold Springs Road to El Cielito
• Gibraltar Road from El Cielito to East Camino Cielo, including the Mount Calvary Road burn
area
• Chelham Way along Westmont Creek and Chelham Creek
In the City area, the evacuation orders include:
• Sycamore Canyon North from APS/Montecito Street to Stanwood
• Stanwood Drive west to El Cielito
• Conejo Road from Stanwood to Las Alturas
• Conejo Lane, Camino Alto, Orizaba Lane, Orizaba Road, Sherman Road, Eland Place and
Mountain Drive east of El Cielito

The forecast of rain for this area means this area is subject to flooding or mud slides. A Red
Cross Shelter will be set up at Santa Barbara High School, 700 East Anapamu Street.
As of 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25, the County has also activated its Call Center line at (805)
681-5197. The Call Center will remain active as needed based on call volume. Animal
Services Hotline is (805) 681-4332 for assistance with animal evacuations.
Depending upon the rain and weather conditions, the City, the County and CalTrans may close
several roads in the area, effective at 9 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25, including:
*Mountain Drive between El Cielito and Cold Springs Road
* Highway 192 between Orizaba and Conejo Road
* Gibraltar Road
* Sycamore Canyon Road between Stanwood Drive and Five Points
* The Sycamore Canyon Gates will remain closed due to the dangerous landslide
potential in the area.

2-2-2/evacuation orders for tea fire burn area issued November 25, 2008
Residents should pay attention to local National Weather Service (NWS) information, which
provides Flash Flood Watches and Warnings both on the NOAA Weather radio, and on the
NWS website at www.weather.gov/losangeles.

In the event of a large emergency or disaster, the County will work with all bona fide news
organizations to distribute emergency public information. The County’s “Stations of Choice” for
emergency news currently include the following AM stations—KTMS-990; KZSB-1290; KUHL-
1410; KINF-1440, plus the San Marcos Pass Radio Station 1040—and the following FM
stations—KCSB-91.9; KSYV-96.7; KTYD-99.9; KSBL-101.7 and KRAZ-105.9. In addition, the
Spanish language FM stations, KSPE-94.5 and KIST-107.7 are also designated “Stations of
Choice” in the cooperative agreement with the County.

For more information regarding the emergency preparedness, go online to
www.CountyofSB.org, or the cities’ websites at www.santabarbaraca.gov . For emergency
preparedness tips go to www.Ready.gov.
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