The Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County, California’s largest fire so far this year, has grown to 37,742 acres, but firefighters are working to contain the blaze around the Santa Ynez and Los Olivos areas, where properties are at risk.
Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Scott Safechuck said Saturday morning that more than 3,400 personnel were working around the clock to battle the fire, and that the blaze was about 20 percent contained by Saturday morning.
Safechuck said firefighters have made a “visible difference” on the south side of the fire, where flames were previously visible from the Santa Ynez and Cachuma Lake areas.
Unusually hot temperatures overnight last week increased the risk of fires, but firefighters had some success battling the blazes by conducting controlled burns of dried vegetation overnight and dropping water from helicopters. Safechuck said the coordinated effort “has been very helpful in eliminating a lot of the threat on the south side.”
“This is really good for the safety of the area because that’s where a lot of the buildings were at risk,” he said. “We’re making big improvements in that area.”
More than 20 helicopters were dispatched to the fire on Friday, Safechuck said.
“We have extensive air support here that is playing a vital role in working with our ground resources to fight this fire,” he said.
Responding to wildfires in the backcountry can be a little tricky due to the wilderness and difficult terrain, so firefighters have resorted to covering buildings with materials like aluminum foil to protect them from the flames.
The fire broke out on July 5, and the cause is still under investigation.
Cal Fire reported Friday afternoon that an evacuation warning had been upgraded to an order for the area of KP Ranch west of Alisos Road, including Estelle Vineyard Drive, Santa Agueda Creek and parts of Brinkerhoff Avenue.
Other areas under evacuation orders are:
The areas are: East of La Brea Creek and Forest Road 10N06, south of the Los Padres National Forest boundary, and north of the Sisquoque River. Woodstock (areas north of Calzada Avenue, east of East Oak Trail Road, west of Happy Canyon, and south of the Sisquoque River). Goat Rock area (area at Goat Rock, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the US Forest Service entrance on Happy Canyon Road, and south of Cachuma Mountain). Part of the Figueroa Mountain area: south of Tunnel House on the Sisquoque River, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the southern tip of Cachuma Mountain, and west of the Los Padres National Forest area.
All areas from Figueroa Mountain Road (including Tunnel Road) in Junction Camp to Chamberlin Ranch and all areas from Zaca Lake Road at Foxen Canyon Road north to the Sisquoc River.
Evacuation advisories have been issued for the following areas, meaning people should prepare to evacuate, but it is not mandatory.
The area east of Kelly Canyon, north of the Sisquoc River, west of La Brea Creek and Forest Road 10N06, and south of Los Padres National Forest. The area from the south end of Cachuma Creek northeast of Santa Cruz Creek to Santa Cruz Peak, west through Grand Spring to the northern part of Cachuma Creek. The area east and north of Alisos Road (the L-shaped road), west of Cachuma Creek, and south of the U.S. Forest Service entrance at Happy Canyon Road. The area east of Highway 154, north of Armour Ranch Road/Secretariat Street, west of Alisos Road, and south of the Woodstock and KP Ranch areas. The area north of Zaca Creek Road to Rancho Sisquoc, and south of the Sisquoc River. The area spans east of Figueroa Mountain Road, north of Highway 154, west of Calzada Avenue/West Oak Trail Road and south of Woodstock Road.
No evacuation warnings have been issued for Highway 154, and it remains open, according to Cal Fire.
Safechuck said the arrival of a new monsoon-like weather pattern in the region could bring dry lightning that could spark new fires.
California’s wildfire season is already off to an unprecedented start as the state deals with extreme heat and other weather conditions. More than 3,600 fires have been reported so far this year, burning 228,756 acres. Officials said a body was found inside a burned structure in the Mina Fire near Covelo on Monday, marking one death so far.