Evacuation orders in Santa Barbara County lifted
UPDATE
Santa Barbara County officials have announced that all Mandatory Evacuation Orders were lifted Thursday, March 22, 2018, at 5 p.m.
The Recommended Evacuation Warning issued for the Alamo Fire burn area was also lifted at 5 p.m.
The National Weather Service says exceeding threshold levels for debris flows have subsided and are not expected to return to the area for the remainder of the storm.
Moderate to heavy showers may be experienced with possible rainfall rates reaching 0.4-inches per hour, and no major debris flows are expected, although, minor debris flows may occur but will not threaten populated areas.
Some roads may be closed due to flooding or other hazards.
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Santa Barbara County officials have issued a Mandatory Evacuation Order for Tuesday at 12 noon for everyone living in Extreme Risk Areas and High Risk Areas on the Debris Flow Risk Map near the Thomas, Sherpa, and Whittier Fire burn areas.
Residents in the Alamo Fire burn area are in a Recommended Evacuation Warning area.
To view the evacuation map for Santa Barbara County, click here.
National Weather Service meteorologists are predicting a powerful storm system passing through Santa Barbara County with a potential for rainfall intensity of between .5 to .75 inches per hour. This could trigger debris flows at any time during the storm.
Additionally, the storm is expected to bring between 5 to 10 inches of rain in the foothills and mountains. That’s more rainfall than the Jan. 9 storm that triggered a devastating mudslide in Montecito, officials say.
An evacuation shelter will open at noon Tuesday at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, Warren Hall, located at 3400 Calle Real in Santa Barbara. For help evacuating large animals, call Santa Barbara County Animal Services at 805-681-4332.
This storm is projected to have the heaviest rainfall and longest duration of this winter season, according to the National Weather Service.
Visit our Map Room here.
For information on Ventura County evacuations, click here.
