Evacuation warnings and orders have gone out to many residents near the Gifford Fire since the blaze sparked at the beginning of the month. Now, some warnings in Huasna Valley have been lifted.
Pam Kuiken is a Huasna resident who was under a warning.
“I was just starting to unpack everything that I had,” Kuiken said. “Packed my trunk, my back seat, my passenger side and I was ready to go.”
Kuiken said she started packing when authorities set up a roadblock on her street.
“When you're seeing 20 and 30 and 40 engines head that way and 24 24-hour sheriff sitting out there, you worry,” she said.
While local evacuation notifications are sent out by the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services, the areas affected are first determined by the fire’s incident management team.
“Basically, that is dependent on the incident itself,” said Kaitlin Munds, SLO County Emergency Services Coordinator.. “So whoever is the jurisdiction holding authority for that incident is making those decisions.”
Munds said an evacuation warning gives residents time to prepare to leave. Once an order comes down, it’s time to go.
“Roadblocks will be put up for an evacuation order,” Munds said. “Once a resident leaves an area that is under an evacuation order, roads will close and they will not be permitted back into the area.”
Kuiken said she’s glad her home is finally out of the evacuation zone.
“I'm feeling great,” she said. “Although my brother lives in Santa Margarita. They own the KOA campground there, so that's scary too. So, yeah, I know for me personally, I'm feeling a little better for sure.”
Residents in San Luis Obispo County can check whether their property is included in evacuations by visiting this link.
For the latest information on evacuation orders and warnings in Santa Barbara County, click here.
