Goleta Valley Community Center Receives Cave Fire Evacuees

In Old Town Goleta, Goleta Valley Community Center has been set up as a Red Cross evacuation site for those fleeing the Cave Fire. The center, which is currently sheltering around 40-45 evacuees and people affected by the fire, provides meals, beds, smoke masks, and staff that can connect evacuees to resources with information about the fire. Organizations like Direct Relief and the Salvation Army were also on hand to help contribute resources. 

Wildfires, which are increasing in both intensity and frequency across California due to climate change, can be experiences filled with both trauma and uncertainty. Carla Andersen, a behavioral wellness worker stationed at Goleta Valley Community Center, said that the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their homes can be difficult for many people. “For a lot of these people, not having any information about whether or not their home is there any more can be very difficult emotionally,” said Carla. “It can also be difficult when these disasters happen during the holidays.”

Despite the presence of evacuation centers, fires can still be a time of uncertainty for evacuees. Clarice Treiber, a resident of a neighborhood near Old San Marcos Road, evacuated around 7 pp.m. on Monday and soon found herself stuck in backed-up traffic as flames engulfed the hillside. “We’ve been evacuated 7 or 8 times now, but it’s still not always clear what we’re supposed to do after we’ve gotten out of the evacuation zone,” she said.