Tehama County Evacuation Center is closing tomorrow

In less than 24 hours, the Tehama County Evacuation Center in Los Molinos will be shutting down.

Red Cross Shelter manager, Mahogany Coward, says that typically there has to be 10 people or more to keep a shelter open. Only three people are using the center now, so she says it is time to close it.

“Now we focus on the shelter clients’ transitions, so you have a home; would you have somewhere to go? That is a major concern,” Coward said.

Coward says the Red Cross is focused on making sure people can either go back to their homes or hotels. Everyone at the shelter gets to take food, water, masks and other items with them once they leave.

Donald Strong has been staying at the evacuation center since evacuating from his home in Sky Ranch. He was given the green light to go back home, but he doesn’t feel comfortable returning just yet.

“No, because it’s too much smoke lingering around up there, and it is bad for your breathing. We will see what’s going on when I go up there,” Strong said.

While one evacuation center closes, the help is not completely gone. Tehama County will be opening the local assistance center starting August 15 through 17. It will be located at the Red Bluff Community Center.

Action News Now asked Andy Houghtby with the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office why the local assistance center isn’t opening soon. He says that those specific three days were the ones that worked for all the needed agencies.

Over 18 different groups and agencies will be at the center, including the American Red Cross, the Tehama County Social Services, the United Policyholders and the Legal Services of Northern California.

The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office announced that there will be a Town Hall Meeting on August 9 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the Park Fire and recovery efforts. The meeting will be held at the Tehama County Board Chambers at 727 Oak Street in Red Bluff.