[the following comes from the county information offices]
Effective immediately at 12 p.m., Sunday, August 16, 2009, the mandatory Evacuation Order previously issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for the following areas of the La Brea Fire will be changed to an Evacuation Warning:
• ALL of Tepusquet Canyon, from Santa Maria Mesa Road to Highway 166
• ALL of Colson Canyon, including Blazing Saddles Drive
• ALL of Ruiz Canyon
• Buckhorn Canyon Road
• Pine Canyon Road
An Evacuation Warning means residents may return to their homes, but people in the warning area also need to be prepared to leave should the warning status change.
All other evacuation advisories remain in effect and unchanged.
Residents returning to these areas are asked to use extreme caution as there are still many fire vehicles and other emergency equipment and personnel in this area and on the local roads.
The Los Padres National Forest closure order remains in effect. Colson Campground and Horseshoe Springs Campgrounds also remain closed.
Currently, the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross continues to maintain two temporary evacuation shelters in support of emergency operations: the Benjamin Foxen School in Sisquoc and the high school in Cuyama.
People who need assistance with animals are asked to call the Animal Information at (805) 681-4332.