As Orange County evacuations end, families return home, businesses reopen, and kids are back in school

Following days of chaos and uncertainty caused by official evacuation orders due to a compromised Garden Grove chemical storage tank, Orange County community members are relieved to be home, back in school, and back to business.

On Tuesday night, Orange County officials gave the all-clear on the crisis that prompted 50,000 people in several cities to evacuate last week, allowing the 16,000 people still under evacuation orders last night to return home.

"We just raced and packed up the stuff and couldn't wait to get home. We love our neighborhood," Stanton resident Karen Bethell said.

She and her family evacuated their home on Friday. Bethrell says they packed their dogs, picked up her mother with Alzheimer's from her care home, and stayed with family in Fullerton.

Bethrell was also caring for her mother through the confusion and stress of the evacuation.  

"It got really tough the last couple of days," she said. "And when we took her home today, they said 'please, no visitors' and we said no problem!" 

Another family, a few blocks away, unloaded laundry baskets from their car after being away from home for days. Kids are also back in school, just in time for the last day of class before summer break.

"They get to say goodbye to their teachers and their friends and just be home," Garden Grove resident Betty Bunnell said. 

Not just families are returning to normal daily life. Harry's Café in Garden Grove has fired up its grill again, after days of evacuations forced the restaurant to close and throw out food.

"I am very happy and waiting for the people," Harry's Café owner Andreas Psaras said.

For many in the affected communities, the past few days are something they say they won't soon forget.

"It's heart-wrenching. I mean, being woken up by officers in your street saying you got to evacuate, and you only had so much time," Garden Grove resident Jessie Avila said.

Red Cross shelters sheltered more than 1,400 people during the evacuations, and volunteers served more than 20,000 meals.

Orange County Fire Authority said on Wednesday morning that there still is a threat regarding the compromised chemical tank, but that it's limited to the immediate vicinity of the tank. All evacuation orders were lifted by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,