In this issue:

• Fire crews make progress in San Lorenzo Valley, North Coast
• UPDATED: Santa Cruz Local's Wildfire Resources page
• New state eviction ban protects tenants affected by COVID-19
• 🙌 Lift up local businesses: Pay it forward with a Santa Cruz Local membership
• Last chance! Tell us your priorities for Nov. 3 local elections

Fire crews make progress in San Lorenzo Valley, North Coast

Areas of Felton, Brookdale, Boulder Creek and areas north, as well as Swanton, Bonny Doon and much of the North Coast remained evacuated Monday, as firefighters made progress on the CZU Lightning Complex fire.

Fire updates

• Monday, more than 2,300 firefighting personnel achieved 41% containment, up from 37% a day prior, according to Cal Fire. The burn area was 132 square miles Monday evening. 
• Crews will likely patrol the San Lorenzo Valley and North Coast to extinguish hot spots “for many weeks to come,” said Ian Larkin, Cal Fire San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit chief. “This is an almost 86,000 acre fire. And we’re going to be here probably until it rains,” he said.
• Davenport: Monday, crews did “mop up” on the hot spots around Davenport, Brunton said. “That’s looking really good with the repopulated area there,” he said.
• Highway 9 corridor: Crews continued to construct fire lines Monday. “Very steep area and a lot of heavy fuels,” Brunton said of the area outside Felton, through Boulder Creek and parts north. “A lot of burned out trees are still falling,” Brunton said. 
• Bonny Doon: Crews are “getting lines around all the various fires and spot fires that had occurred, the burned out areas and rendering that safe,” Brunton said. Utility companies are working in the area, he said. No updates were given Monday on when Bonny Doon residents could return. Wednesday, Santa Cruz County sheriff’s Deputy Chris Clark said Bonny Doon’s reopening was weeks away.
• Big Basin Redwoods State Park:  Brunton said the park had “significant devastation.” “And so there’s a lot of work to make that safe in there and to get the utility companies so that they can start doing the repairs through that area,” Brunton said. 📰 Read Kara Meyberg Guzman's story.

• The fire has destroyed at least 1,401 structures in Santa Cruz County, of which 901 were single-family homes.
• Monday, the county’s preliminary damage assessment map was nearly complete, according to officials. Residents can use the map to determine how much of their home is damaged, to start insurance claims or government relief applications. 

• Online registration for federal assistance is at DisasterAssistance.gov. More resources are available at the county’s Recovery Resource Center. The event is open daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz. Information at the in-person event also is online.

• The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has issued a “Do not drink — Do not boil your water” unsafe water alert for areas north of Brookdale at Highway 9 and Alba Road, including Boulder Creek, areas off Bear Creek Road, Riverside Grove and San Lorenzo Park.
• As Santa Cruz Local previously reported, the wildfire melted plastic water lines that may cause contamination of the water supply. The water contamination is unknown, according to Saturday’s alert from the district.
• Residents are advised to not drink, boil or attempt to treat the water. Bottled water should be used for all drinking (including juice and baby formula), brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice and food preparation. Residents will be notified if conditions change, according to the alert. 

• This week, county leaders plan to consolidate the 11 county-run evacuation shelters to four sites: the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, the Seventh Day Adventists Campgrounds in Soquel, the Simpkins Family Swim Center in Live Oak and Harbor High School in Santa Cruz. Shelter availability is posted on the county’s resources page.
• Santa Cruz County authorities said the following items are in high demand. Items will only be accepted if they are new. Items can be taken to 1082 Emeline Ave., Santa Cruz or 114 Walker St., Watsonville 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  
  • Men’s clothing: Pants, t-shirts, shoes, socks, underwear, hoodies, sweatshirts and sweatpants
  • Women’s clothing: Pants, t-shirts, shoes, socks, underwear, hoodies, sweatshirts and sweatpants
  • Bath and hand towels
  • Queen size and smaller bed sheets, linens and pillow cases
  • Sleeping pads
  • Ice chests, coolers

• Food donations may be brought to Second Harvest Food Bank. 

 Santa Cruz Local's updated Wildfire Resources page has:

• Updates on how to get your mail
• How to register for Small Business Administration loans
• How to register online for hotel vouchers, voucher renewals
• Home safety checklists for returning evacuees
• Tips for cleaning ash, protecting your lungs

New state eviction ban protects tenants affected by COVID-19

• To get eviction protection, tenants must sign a document stating a COVID-related hardship that occurred between March 4 and Aug. 31.
• Tenants who have a COVID-related hardship between Sept. 1 and Jan. 31 must also pay at least 25% of rent to avoid eviction.
• Unpaid rent must be paid eventually, but tenants cannot be evicted for it. The law allows landlords to recover that debt starting March 1, 2021.
• Tenants will have until 15 business days after rent is due to give landlords the signed document declaring hardship.
• The bill signed Monday is known as AB 3088, co-authored by Assemblymembers David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and Senators Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and Anna Caballero (D-Salinas).

🙌 Pay it forward with a Santa Cruz Local membership

• For every new member signup or upgrade to Santa Cruz Local at the $1,000 Guardian level by 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 18, we'll donate one newsletter ad and one podcast ad to two qualifying local organizations.
• For every $500 Defender-level member signup or upgrade, we'll donate a podcast ad and newsletter ad to one qualifying local organization.

What do you want local candidates to talk about as they compete for your vote in November?