By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Cruz County residents who live in areas affected by this summer’s Lockheed Fire are being warned of the potential impacts of today’s heavy rains.
About 60 homes along Swanton Road from the Cheese House to Scotts Creek near the Old Seaside School are under voluntary evacuation. There is concern that the rain could cause mudslides in areas near where the fire burned.
Santa Cruz County spokeswoman Dinah Phillips said residents were alerted of the evacuation via a reverse-911 call at about 8:30 a.m.
A Red Cross reception center has been set up at the Davenport Resource Center, located at 100 Church St. in Davenport.
Some roads in the Santa Cruz Mountains are blocked due to flooding. A full list of closures can be found online at http://www.sccroadclosure.org/.
Schools in San Lorenzo Valley were closed because of flooding. Phillips did not know when the schools would reopen.
About 6,400 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers in the county lost power this morning.
Phillips said there have been no reports of major flooding or mudslides, but that emergency responders are on standby.
Conditions can change quickly, and residents are cautioned to drive carefully and remain alert for potential hazards, Phillips said.