Fires force more than 22,000 from San Mateo, Santa Cruz county homes

More than 22,000 people received evacuation orders from areas of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties due to multiple wildfires that have burned an estimated 10,000 acres as of Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire.

Lightning caused the fires, known as the CZU August Lightning Complex, early Sunday morning near the border of the two counties.

Evacuations are in place for the following areas in San Mateo County:

• Communities of Loma Mar and Dearborn Park area
• Pescadero Creek County Park area
• Butano Community area
• Butano State Park Area, including Barranca Knolls community
• Butano Creek Drainage
• South Skyline Boulevard Area near state Highway 9
• Russian Ridge Open Space Reserve area
• Middleton Tract area
• Portola Redwoods State Park and the Portola Heights community area

The evacuation center for San Mateo County is Pescadero High School at 360 Butano Cuttoff Road, Pescadero.

The fires are zero percent contained as of 7 a.m. Wednesday. There have been no fatalities but three first responder injuries reported, and no property damage but 6,000 structures are threatened.