Morgan Hill Police and public safety staff spent Sunday night guarding closed roads and patrolling evacuated neighborhoods as the SCU Complex fire continues to grow in east Santa Clara County and beyond.
CalFire crews spent the night Aug. 23 focusing on cutting dozer lines on the fire’s western and southern borders, offering protection to the populated city limits of Morgan Hill, says an Aug. 24 email blast from City Hall to residents.
The neighborhoods of Jackson Oaks, Holiday Lake Estates and Thomas Grade received evacuation orders from CalFire about 3pm Aug. 23, leading the city to close roads on the city’s east side.
“Access east of Hill Road on East Dunne continues to be closed to all traffic,” says the email blast from the city. “Checkpoints at Hill Road and Thomas Grade on East Dunne were staffed by public safety personnel throughout the night and will continue as long as the evacuation order remains in effect. Additionally, police patrols in the evacuated area took place throughout the night and will also continue as long as the evacuation order is in place to ensure safety in the area.”
A weather forecast for thunderstorms with dry lightning for Sunday night did not develop as strongly as feared, city staff added. A Red Flag warning remains in effect until 5pm Monday.
Concerns remain of spot fires and embers that can travel a mile or more and ignite with a 90 percent certainty rate.
The SCU Complex fire has burned 347,196 acres, according to the CalFire incident page. The fire, which is about 10 percent contained, is burning at multiple sites in Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
Twelve structures have been destroyed and five people have been injured in relation to the blaze, according to CalFire.
An interactive, updated evacuation zone map can be found here.
An evacuation resource center has been set up at Ann Sobrato High School, 401 Burnett Ave.
For more information from the City of Morgan Hill, call or text the city’s resource line at (408) 762-1635.
