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Families remain in shelters, car as evacuation orders continue in Garden Grove and Stanton

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Published  May 26, 2026 5:38 PM PDT
Garden Grove
FOX 11
16,000 still evacuated in chemical tank crisis

16,000 still evacuated in chemical tank crisis

While Garden Grove is no longer in danger of a catastrophic explosion, about 16,000 people who remain under evacuation orders are still wondering when they can return home.

The Brief

    • Red Cross officials told FOX 11 that 400 people stayed overnight in seven shelters, while 16,000 people remain under evacuation orders in Garden Grove and Stanton.
    • Families living in vehicles outside shelters say medical concerns, lack of space and child care issues are preventing them from returning to normal routines and work.
    • Garden Grove officials canceled a City Hall meeting and invited residents to a community forum to discuss evacuation concerns with city and OC Fire officials.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Even with evacuations reduced, Red Cross center officials tell FOX 11 that 400 people slept in their seven shelters last night.

At the Fountain Valley shelter, there are still plenty of vehicles parked, with families living out of them. These are among the 16,000 people that remain under evacuation orders, mostly in Garden Grove and Stanton.

One family has seven people — that's three adults, two preteen children, a toddler and a baby — living out of one van. One of the preteens is autistic.

Robert Robbins explains that he just underwent a kidney transplant and is on several anti-rejection medications, so he can't be around lots of people close together, which is the situation inside the shelter.

"Not that there is room, anyway," adds Doreen Zoller, holding a squiggly toddler who just got new socks from the Red Cross.

They are among the many families who are now having to start fundraisers: https://gofund.me/640a23f78

Some people can't go to work because they don't have day care for the children while they stay in shelters.

They want to know how long before they can return to work.

Garden Grove city officials are trying to answer that question, cancelling their regularly scheduled City Hall meeting tonight. They are inviting residents to come to the Community Center at City Hall for a 5:30 p.m. forum to speak directly to them and OC Fire officials who will be there.

The address is 11300 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove. If you can't attend, you can watch their feed at ggcity.org/ggtv3-live.

Garden GroveAir QualityOrange County