A wind-driven brush fire broke out and spread across more than 3,000 acres in Santa Barbara county on Monday evening, which caused the evacuation of thousands of residents and widespread power outages.
The so-called Cave Fire started just after 4 pm on Monday near East Camino Cielo in Los Padres National Forest and along Highway 154. It had grown to at least 3,122 acres by 9pm as canyon winds whipped up brush fires, making them difficult to combat, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The affected area was east of the mountain pass and Highway 154 remained partially closed on Monday.
Officials declared a local emergency at around 10 pm as the fire advanced towards densely populated areas in the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta, and unincorporated areas of the county.
Large plumes of smoke and flames could be seen in the area between Santa Barbara and Goleta, commonly known as Noleta, overnight, as emergency alerts were sent out to mobile devices throughout the night and reverse 911 calls were issued to residents in the affected areas.
A wind-driven brush fire broke out and spread across more than 3,000 acres in Santa Barbara county on Monday evening. The fire can be seen raging on a hillside above houses in Santa Barbara on Monday morning
The affected area was east of the mountain pass and Highway 154 remained partially closed on Monday as the fire raged and spread downhill due to winds gusting 30 mph
The Cave Fire broke began at around 4.30pm near Painted Cave on Camino Cielo, as seen from Highway 154, (pictured), which is near Old San Marcos Road, Santa Barbara
Officials declared a local emergency at around 10 pm as the fire advanced towards the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta, and unincorporated areas of the county
Helicopter crews also responded to the flames in mountainous areas that could not be reached by foot. A ‘Firehawk’ helicopter from the Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to assist with the firefighting effort
Firefighters are enveloped in smoke as they combat a wildfire dubbed the Cave Fire burning in the hills of Santa Barbara
A statement from the county read: ‘The Cave Fire is causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within Santa Barbara County.
‘These conditions are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the combined forces of the county’s Operational Area to combat.
‘Additional resources have been ordered from out of the area, which have been arriving all evening.’
Evacuation centers were also set up for displaced residents and animals. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for a five-mile area, including the area of Highway 154 east to Ontare Road and from Foothill Road to the top of Camino Cielo.
An evacuation warning was issued for the area north of Foothill Road and from Ontare Road east to Gibraltar Road, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Engine teams were in place in neighborhoods to defend homes in the fire’s path, with bulldozers and crews digging to establish containment lines around the perimeter of the blaze.
The fire grew more dangerous as it moved downhill, as there was winds of 5 miles-per-hour and 30-miles-per-hour gusts.
Emergency crews from across Santa Barbara and Los Angeles responded to the fires overnight as firefighters were seen dousing the flames with water.
Large plumes of smoke and flames could be seen in the area between Santa Barbara and Goleta. A firefighter above is seen crossing Highway 154 while battling the Cave Fire in Los Padres National Forest, California
The fire was first reported at 4:15pm and has burned just over 3,000 acres in the foothills above Santa Barbara. Firefighters are seen above surveying the Cave Fire off Highway 154
The wind-driven brush fire that started late on November 25 in Los Padres National Forest near Highway 154 in Santa Barbara County moved quickly downhill, prompting mandatory evacuations and threatening homes
Emergency crews from across Santa Barbara and Los Angeles responded to the fires overnight as firefighters were seen dousing the flames with water. A resident watches as the Cave Fire burns a hillside near homes in Santa Barbara
Strike teams from Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles Counties were called in to assist Santa Barbara County and Los Padres fire departments.
On Monday night, more than 500 firefighters were at the scene in areas including Upper San Antonio Creek, Via Chapparal and Cieneguitas. More resources are expected to work on Tuesday morning to assess the damage, KSBY reported.
Helicopter crews also responded to the flames in mountainous areas which could not be reached by foot. A ‘Firehawk’ helicopter from the Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to assist with the firefighting effort.
A fixed wing aircraft is expected to work throughout Tuesday morning to battle fires that are still raging.
Captain Daniel Bertucelli, a Santa Barbara County Fire Department public information officer, told the Los Angeles Times overnight: ‘We’re going to fight fire throughout the night, and tomorrow when the sun comes up, we’ll get a better understanding of what sort of damage we have.’
Wind blows embers as the Cave fire burns a hillside in Santa Barbara, California which prompted mandatory evacuations
Firefighters and police gather at a local church as the Cave Fire caused conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within Santa Barbara County, officials said
Strike teams from Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles Counties were called in to assist Santa Barbara County
At least one structure along Old San Marcos Road caught fire on Monday evening, according to KYET . Firefighters priority is structure protection, according to fire officials on scene
‘Hopefully Mother Nature will help us out tomorrow,’ Bertucelli added. He said there was no information as to the extent of the damage in the area, as officials would know more in the morning if homes or businesses had been destroyed.
At least one structure along Old San Marcos Road caught fire on Monday evening, according to KYET. Firefighters priority is structure protection, according to fire officials on scene.
He explained that the wind represented the biggest challenge for firefighters battling the blaze, and humidity is low which creates additional difficulty.
The Cave Fire also threatened Southern California Edison’s main transmission lines that provide power to the southern portion of the county. SCE has been experiencing periodic power outages.
On Monday night more than 500 firefighters were at the scene in areas including Upper San Antonio Creek, Via Chapparal and Cieneguitas
Experts say that climate change is increasing the size, frequency and risk of wildfires, as weather changes have doubled the area that has been affected by natural fires in the Western U.S
The brush fire comes almost 30 years after the Painted Cave Fire struck in the area, which caused damage to 400 homes
The Cave Fire also threatened Southern California Edison’s main transmission lines that provide power to the southern portion of the county. SCE has been experiencing periodic power outages.
Outages were also reported in unincorporated areas between the cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara, along Highway 154 through Mission Canyon, and parts of Summerland and Carpinteria, according to a statement from Santa Barbara County Readiness.
As of 1.30 am on Monday night, just under 1,000 residents were still without power. The brush fire comes almost 30 years after the Painted Cave Fire struck in the same area, which had caused damage to over 400 homes.
Experts say that climate change is increasing the size, frequency and risk of wildfires, as weather changes have doubled the area that has been affected by natural fires in the Western U.S. in recent years, according to a climate change fact sheet by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Jonathan Cox, Assistant Chief with San Mateo County Fire Department said: ‘What we’re seeing in California right now is more destructive, larger fires burning at rates that we have historically never seen.’
The fact sheet states that the combination of climate change and human practices such as urbanization have increased the frequency of wildfires, particularly along the southern coast and the southwestern Sierras.
‘In urban areas in coastal Southern California, the interacting effects between urbanization and climate change have reduced summertime cloud cover, which warms and dries the surface, leading to an increase in burned area,’ it says. In California, 15 out of the 20 largest fires since the 1930s have occurred since 2000.