Rain clears, Santa Cruz evacuees trying to head home

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - In the Santa Cruz Mountains, clearing skies overhead, did not extend all the way to the ground.

"There’s a eucalyptus tree down over there, so we can’t get in from that side," said Robert, a resident who didn’t want his last name used. Added his wife Kimberly, "Yeah, we just came from that side to try to get home. We came out this way. I don’t know why we can’t get back in now?"

The 2900 block of Glen Canyon Road is a road to nowhere. A downed tree limb also took out power lines.

"I’m on stand-by until bucket trucks get here," said an unidentified Pacific Gas & Electric supervisor.

PG&E officials, and a California Highway Patrol officer, closed the road out of safety concerns.

"A lot of closures slowing down traffic. It’s happening throughout the county. So it’s a lot to deal with in a short period of time," said Jeff Owsley of the CHP – Santa Cruz.

Across the area, debris, limbs and power lines continued to litter several roadways, after a potentially record-setting October storm Sunday.

"Really at the mercy of mother nature with these events. Because they’re so wide-spread. It’s not something that’s small and contained. It’s at the landscape level," said Jonathan Cox, Cal Fire – San Mateo Division deputy chief.

An evacuation center at San Lorenzo Valley High School was closed Monday.

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And crews cleaned the gymnasium area where a handful of evacuees had stayed.

One family living in an RV in the school’s parking lot told Fox 2 they live in a burn scar area, and evacuated as a precaution.

"Our real concern was the high likelihood that we could see the movement of earth due to the downpours. Luckily we have not had major reports of debris flow," said Cox.

The pressing issue for many residents Monday is how to get someplace on some roads that for now, lead no place?

"We came out to get some provisions but now we’re stuck out. So I guess we’ll go have some lunch and see, stay clear of the line," said Kimberly.

PG&E as well as first responders urge all motorists to avoid driving past or over downed power lines.