A brush fire that started in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara County, Calif., had burned at least 4,100 acres as of Tuesday morning, prompting the county to declare an emergency and order some residents to evacuate, according to the authorities.
So far, no homes have been destroyed and no injuries have been connected to the blaze, which the authorities were calling the Cave Fire. It began around 4:15 p.m. on Monday, Santa Barbara County said in a news release, and was advancing toward populated areas in the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta as well as unincorporated areas of the county.
The fire was zero percent contained as of Tuesday morning, Mike Eliason, the county’s fire public information officer, said on Twitter. At least 600 firefighters had been assigned to fight the blaze, he said.
The county declared a local emergency on Monday night and requested that Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaim a state of emergency, the release said, adding that evacuation centers were opened for displaced community members and animals. It was unclear how many residents were in the evacuation zones and how many homes had been threatened by the blaze.
Sections of southern Santa Barbara County were experiencing power failures because of the fire, the county said on Twitter, adding that the blackouts were not related to any intentional power shut-off by utility companies.
Power failures were reported in unincorporated areas between Goleta and Santa Barbara, along Highway 145 through Mission Canyon and parts of Summerland and Carpinteria.
Firefighting crews worked throughout the night and received additional help from nearby counties. The Ventura County Fire Department sent 10 fire engines to help battle the wind-driven blaze, and the Los Angeles Fire Department also sent crews.
At least one firefighter was recorded spraying water from a hillside down onto flames. Another video showed a helicopter dropping water onto flames near a home.
Weather conditions on Tuesday were expected to be sunny with a high near 66 degrees, with winds around five miles per hour before turning calm, according to a National Weather Service forecast. Rain was set to move into the area after 10 p.m., with temperatures falling to around 45 degrees.
Rain was also expected for Wednesday before 10 a.m., the forecast said, with a high of 61 degrees.
Santa Barbara County is no stranger to major fires. About 100 acres burned in a fire in 2018, according to The Los Angeles Times. The year before that, the Thomas Fire became one of the state’s largest in history.
