Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

People evacuated from the Red Barn area are now allowed to return, as of noon Thursday, Aug. 27. The Red Barn, a landmark in the La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, was obscured by smoke on Aug. 23. Photo by Kate Bradshaw.

Most wildfire evacuees in San Mateo County are allowed to return home, effective immediately, according to a noon announcement on Aug. 27.

As of Thursday morning, the CZU August Lightning Complex fires that forced about 4,600 San Mateo County residents from their homes had burned 81,333 acres and destroyed at least 11 structures in San Mateo County.

Public works, utility and public safety crews completed inspections and determined that the area is safe for travel, according to county officials.

These are the areas where evacuation orders have been lifted:

• Pescadero Beach area (Zone SMC- E073)

• Pescadero Creek County Park area (Zone SMC – E075)

• Pescadero area (Zone SMC – E043)

• San Gregorio area (Zone SMC – E022)

• La Honda area (Zone SMC – E028)

• Langley Hill and Red Barn area (Zone SMC – E010)

• Russian Ridge Open Space area (Zone SMC – E027)

• Skylonda (Zone SMC- E012)

• Portola Redwoods State Park, Portola Heights (SMC E-048)

• Middleton Tract (Zone SMC- E044)

Note that Skylonda as described on the Cal Fire map refers not to the Sky Londa unincorporated area at the intersection of Highway 84 and Skyline Boulevard but to an area just south of it along Skyline Boulevard, near the Coal Creek Open Space Preserve.

Roadblocks at the following areas also were lifted at noon, according to a statement from the San Mateo County Emergency Operations Center:

• Highway 1 at Gazos Creek Road

• Cloverdale Road at Butano Cutoff

• Pescadero Creek Road at Butano Cutoff

• Pescadero Creek Road at Burns Valley Road  

The following areas remain on the evacuation list:

• Communities of Loma Mar and Dearborn Park Area (Zone SMC E018)

• Butano Community Area (Zone SMC E098)

• Butano State Park including Barranca Knolls Community (Zone SMC E019)

• Butano Creek Drainage (Zone SMC E055)

• South Skyline Boulevard Area near Highway 9 (SMC E049)

• Bean Hollow Area (Zone SMC E042)

People returning to their homes are advised to drive safely, follow public orders and yield to emergency vehicles. Nonresidents are urged to avoid the area.

Evacuees can pick up water, food and toiletries at the following two locations:

• The evacuation center at Half Moon Bay High School, 1 Lewis Foster Drive; Hours 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Puente de la Costa Sur, 620 North St., Pescadero; Hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 650-879-1691 for further information.

They should also follow guidance from PG&E about how to safely check on their utilities after a wildfire.

Those impacted by the fires should visit disasterassistance.gov to see if they are eligible for grant assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which may help pay for rent, home repairs or replacements, and disaster-related needs like child care, medical or dental expenses.

To coordinate pickups for large animals, people should contact Robin Camozzi at 650-450-0516 or Laura Coamozzi at 650-450-0520.

To coordinate pickups for dogs, cats and exotic animals, people should contact the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA at 650-340-7022.

Stay up to date on the response to the CZU August Lightning Complex fires in “Tracking the wildfires.”

Kate Bradshaw writes for The Almanac, the sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.

Kate Bradshaw writes for The Almanac, the sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.

Kate Bradshaw writes for The Almanac, the sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.

Kate Bradshaw writes for The Almanac, the sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.

Leave a comment