A wildfire continuing to rage Tuesday in Santa Barbara, Calif., is triggering evacuations and closing down part of the famous Highway 101, officials said.
The Alisal Fire began Monday around 2:30 p.m. local time near the Alisal Reservoir, according to an official interagency information management system.
Brush, grass and dense chaparral were largely fueling the fire pushed south by strong northwest winds, creating plumes of dense smoke visible throughout southern Santa Barbara County. As many as 100 structures, including ranches and homes, are threatened, per InciWeb, while firefighting aircraft remain unable to take off due to the strong winds.
As of early Tuesday, the fire had spread to more than 3,900 acres, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department said — noting that it was 0 percent contained.
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Daniel Bertucelli, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, said about 250 personnel were working in high winds to contain it.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order late Monday for the areas of Arroyo Hondo Canyon, Refugio Canyon, and the area between El Capitan Beach State Park and West Camino Cielo urging residents to “leave the area immediately.” Many have gathered at a local high school with American Red Cross staff on-site, the county tweeted.
An evacuation warning for the area east of El Capitan Beach State Park, west of Dos Pueblos Canyon Road, and south of West Camino Cielo was also in place with residents told to be “prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.” Animal evacuation assistance was also underway.
Share this articleShareThe wildfire has also caused the partial closure of Highway 101 to traffic, the California Highway Patrol of Santa Barbara said Monday, with “no estimated time for reopening,” and a warning to drivers in the area to be alert to shifting winds.
There are nine wildfires burning in California, including the Dixie Fire, which although now 94 percent contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, has burned almost 1 million acres — an area larger than New York City, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles combined.
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The Dixie Fire menaced Northern California this summer stripping forests and forcing thousands of people from their homes. The blaze is the second-largest in California’s history with experts pointing to climate change for turbocharging severe storms, floods and fires throughout the country.
Pacific Gas & Electric shut off power to about 21,000 customers in 20 central and northern California counties, the Associated Press reported, in a bid to reduce the risk that power lines could be toppled and spark wildfires.
Elsewhere, across the state at least a half-dozen smaller fires erupted Monday, including near the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno.
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