The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is downgrading an Evacuation Order to an Evacuation Warning for the Walbridge Fire area. Use caution when returning to the area as conditions to the roadway may have changed due to the fire. Power poles, trees, and other structures may have been damaged.
The area being downgraded is:
Zone 2E1 from Evacuation Order to Evacuation WARNING:
South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road
North of Palmer Creek Road and McCray Ridge Road
West of Wallace Creek Road
East of East Austin Creek (the actual creek) and Walbridge Ridge
A traffic control point will remain on Mill Creek Road at Wallace Creek Road to verify proof of residency in the area. If you don’t live in the area, please, stay away.
This means you can now return home at your own risk. These areas are still at risk from the fires in the area. We recommend you stay home for the day once you arrive. Expect significant traffic delays based on the ongoing infrastructure work and one-way traffic control.
NOTE: The residents living in the area of Sweetwater Springs Road between 17990 and 19500 will remain closed and will not be able to go home until the roadway is deemed safe. We anticipate it will take a few additional days to make the area safe. Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve will remain closed.
HELPFUL INFORMATION
If you need assistance after your home was damaged or destroyed, you can go to Healdsburg High School Gym (1024 Prince Avenue, Healdsburg) or the Bank of America in Guerneville (16390 Main Street, Guerneville) for help. At these Local Assistance Centers (LAC), you will be able to order new personal documents, find assistance with insurance claims, access financial resources, and find answers to rebuilding questions. If your property is in the burn area, you'll receive personal protective equipment that's required to enter the burn area. Both centers will close permanently today at 7:00 pm. A Federal Assistance Center will open in the coming days, check socoemergency.org for details as they become available. For a full list of recovery resources click on attached link: https://socoemergency.org/recover/returning-to-your-home/.
- Media is allowed in disaster areas per State law. We ask for the media's continued discretion and compassion as residents go through a challenging time. Not everyone will want to interview or be on camera as they evaluate their losses and consider the next steps.
The burn area is under a Public Health Order due to hazards created by the fire. The order is available at the Local Assistance Center and online at socoemergency.org. Please follow County Health recommendations, especially if you're returning to burned property. Read health safety tips here:
https://socoemergency.org/recover/returning-to-your-home/.
Continue to follow the instructions of first responders in the area and make sure to listen for hi-lo sirens if fire conditions change. Use extreme caution when around any burned areas that may be present. The burn area is under a Public Health Order due to health hazards
created by the fire.
Please be advised that areas nearest the fire may have had PG&E services temporarily disrupted while the fire was being fought. PG&E is working around the clock to restore services to all its unaffected customers. If you have questions about your gas or power, check the
PG&E website for information. You can also call 1(800)743-5000. If you come across any downed power lines, treat them as live and call 911 and then PG&E.
The public is reminded to stay vigilant on current fire conditions. Please continue to adhere to road closures and any evacuation warnings. A reminder to drive slowly and yield to emergency personnel. There may be smoke in the respective areas as firefighters continue firefighting operations.
Go to
socoemergency.org or call 2-1-1 if you have questions. For tips to return safely to your home,
click here. You may also visit
https://arcg.is/0buuL1, type in your address, and see your property's evacuation status.
