National Weather Service Issues Flash Flood Watch

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Watch today for residents living in the Tea Fire burn area and the areas down slope from it. Rain is expected tomorrow, and may produce mud flows from the approximately 2,000-acre area recently denuded of vegetation by the Tea Fire. Residents are advised to prepare an emergency plan and monitor local television, radio, and other news outlets for weather and advisory updates. Those who will leave the area and do not have another place to stay can contact the American Red Cross at (805) 687-1331 to make other arrangements for shelter.

A Flash Flood Watch is typically issued in burn areas six to 24 hours in advance of a rain event, in order to provide residents in high risk areas time to prepare for an emergency situation. If a Flash Flood Warning is issued, based upon rainfall data, residents of hazard zones may only have minutes to evacuate.

The following roads may be closed by Caltrans, the City of Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara County in response to worsening conditions:

Mountain Drive between El Cielito and Cold Spring Road

Highway 192 between Orizaba and Conejo Road

Gibraltar Road

Sycamore Canyon Road between Stanwood Drive and Five Points

Sandbags will be available for homeowners and residents from the City of Santa Barbara’s Corporate Annex Yard at 401 E. Yanonali St.. The yard will be open until 8 p.m. tonight, and from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. the rest of the week, unless other notice is given.

For more information, visit the county’s Web site, and the city’s Web site. For emergency preparation tips, visit www.ready.gov. For National Weather Service (NWS) information and flash flood updates, visit the NWS Web site.