General Information on the San Francisco Oil Spill - Nov 2007
Updated November 29, 2007
See the San Francisco Oil Spill Map, which shows point of collision and affected areas. Closed beaches are listed below the map.
To report oil sightings on the bay or beaches, call (985) 781-0804. There is a different hotline to report oiled birds and wildlife: (877) 823-6926. See the section on wildlife below for more information.
Beach Cleanup Training Sessions
Training schedules for oil spill cleanup are listed in this blog post and at the About San Francisco Home Page
Volunteers need training to participate in beach cleanups.
Help With Oiled Birds & Wildlife
Partially-oiled birds are still being seen along various shorelines. If you see a bird that has been injured in the spill, please call the hotline number below to report the bird and its precise location.
Check the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) website regularly. OWCN reports they are not accepting new registrations.
If you see oiled birds or mammals, call the OWCN hotline: (877) 823-6926. You may also use the local hotline number: Dial 311 in San Francisco or (415) 701-2311 outside of San Francisco.
If the line is busy, don't give up. Please keep trying. Do not try to rescue the animals yourself. You may caused added injury to the animal, and oil is a hazardous substance that should be handled only by HAZMAT-trained workers and volunteers.
Our local International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia is still housing and cleaning rescued birds. Consider making a donation of money or necessary items to IBRRC or to OWCN -- to help with rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
Wildcare in Marin (San Rafael) is also treating oiled birds and can always use financial donations and supplies.
Golden Gate Audubon is conducting ongoing monitoring -- to look for oiled birds.
If you're interested, the Golden Gate Audubon website has information on what to do to help the birds, as well as lists of beaches and areas of shoreline where this help is needed.
See some of the birds affected by this oil spill. (These are photos of oiled birds. They were taken prior to the spill, at various wildlife sanctuaries throughout the Bay Area and along the California coast.)
San Francisco Shorebirds | California Shorebirds & Seabirds
Help With Oil Spill Cleanup
There are ongoing reports of oil washing up at various shorelines. Cleanup assistance may be needed in the future, so stay tuned to the About San Francisco home page for current information on upcoming beach cleanup training sessions in San Francisco and around the bay.
Sign up with the Baykeeper mailing list to get updates on the oil spill, as well as future training and volunteer opportunities. You can also make a donation to help Baykeeper respond to this crisis.
Surfrider Foundation is posting regular updates on volunteering and grassroots beach cleanups at Ocean Beach.
You can donate to the Save the Bay Emergency Response Fund which enables rapid response in a crisis situation.
Salons Can Donate - Hair Mats for Oil Cleanup
Matter of Trust provides hair mats -- made of donated human hair -- which help sop up oil effectively. If you work in or own a hair salon, see if you might be able to help in this way.
A YouTube video about the Ocean Beach cleanup features some of the volunteers using these hair mats. A 2000 issue of Best Friends Magazine (pdf) features an article on hair mats (page 20 of the pdf) and the SF Chronicle published a piece on Hair Mats (Nov 14).Look For Oiled Animals - Keep Dogs Off Beaches
For your part, keep a look out for oiled birds and mammals, but do not jeopardize their well-being by getting so close as to scare them back into the water. Call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network hotline (877-823-6926) if you find an oiled animal. Do not touch the animal or try to rescue it if you do not have the proper training.
See the information above on Golden Gate Audubon's request for leaders of volunteer bird spotting groups.
Please keep your dogs off beaches and shorelines as the rescue and remediation goes on. There have been reports of people bringing their dogs to areas like Ocean Beach. Not only is the bunker oil hazardous to your pets, dogs frighten the already stressed and oiled birds back into the water where they cannot be helped or rescued and will most like perish.
Keep Others Informed
Cleanup and rescue efforts are ongoing and people may not be aware that caution must still be observed at shorelines. Please be aware that oiled birds are still being reported and rescued, so keep dogs on leash in areas where wildlife may be found.