SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The two credit unions headquartered here, plus two branches of Wescom CU, still are assessing damage and are awaiting reports from members as a rare May California wildfire burns this seaside city.
Santa Barbara Teachers FCU has 3 branches here. Flames were visible from its headquarters branch Thursday afternoon, but no evacuation order had been received. Roy McLaughlin, CEO, said the fire was burning in the local foothills and had consumed an estimated 20 to 30 houses. “We are about two or three miles away from the fire and a few blocks from the evacuation zone,” he told Credit Union Journal. “We kept the credit union open, but 13,000 residents in the area have been evacuated. The winds are not as bad tonight [Thursday] as they were [Wednesday].” McLaughlin said the CU already was aware of one member’s house that was destroyed by the fire.
Tammy Reid, loan manager for $35 million Santa Barbara County FCU, said the credit union’s one branch is close to an evacuation warning zone, but as of Thursday afternoon had not been evacuated. “So far, we’re still here and running business as usual,” she reported. “We are just waiting to see what the winds are going to do.”
A Wescom spokeswoman said the CU’s two branches likewise were close to the evacuation zone, but not threatened. Wescom management is checking in regularly with branch personnel, she added.
