Authorities have issued evacuation warnings after a wildfire in Santa Barbara spread to nearly 5,000 acres in the span of a day.
A wildfire, dubbed the Lake Fire, that broke out around 3:45 p.m. yesterday, left more than 300 acres of land charred in the Los Padres National Forest.
The Lake Fire had grown to about 4,673 acres by 11 p.m., according to Los Padres officials.
Images from the scene show red skies and burning trees as firefighters race to bring the situation under control.
A wildfire that broke out around 3:45 p.m. yesterday left more than 300 acres of land charred in the Los Padres National Forest.
Footage of the aftermath also shows giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash.
Post-fire footage also shows giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash.
Since then, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders for areas around Figueroa Mountain Road to Forest Station and Chamberlin Ranch, as well as areas north of Zaca Lake Road, east of Foxen Canyon Road and south of the Sisquoc River, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.
Santa Barbara Fire Department spokesman Scott Safechuck said temperatures had reached the 90s and relative humidity was nine percent in the fire area as of last night.
Images from the scene show red skies and burning trees as firefighters race to bring the situation under control.
The National Weather Service has also issued excessive heat warnings across the state through next week.
Images from the aftermath of the fire also show giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash.
“There are extensive firefighting resources on scene and are responding to this rapidly developing wildfire. Firefighters are aggressively suppressing the fire. Impacted communities and resources are a top priority,” the federal government’s Incident Information System said. website read.
The website further stated that the fire is a warning sign “due to extremely high temperatures and low relative humidities.”
The National Weather Service had also issued Statewide excessive heat warnings through next week.
The federal agency warned: ‘An exceptionally dangerous situation continues to develop during this potentially historic and deadly heat event. Multiple days of temperatures well above normal will result in compounding impacts on people and infrastructure with the potential for numerous heat-related deaths.
In Santa Ynez, a church stands against the ominous backdrop of the lake fire.
Santa Barbara Fire Department spokesman Scott Safechuck said temperatures reached the 90s and relative humidity was nine percent in the fire area last night.
‘It cannot be stressed enough that while a day with these temperatures may be manageable for some, an event of this scale, magnitude and longevity will likely rival anything we have seen in the past 18 years.
“Heat is the leading cause of weather-related death in the United States. We are VERY LIKELY to increase that statistic if we don’t get serious about preparing.”
He went on to urge Californians to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check on family and neighbors.
The Lake Fire is the latest inferno to hit the Golden State, just days after the Thompson wildfire erupted before noon Tuesday about 70 miles north of the state capital, Sacramento.
Although 71 percent contained as of Saturday, the fire has already scorched more than 3,700 acres.
During the efforts to stop the fire, more than a dozen aircraft, 50 engines and 15 excavators were involved in fighting the fire. CBS News reported on Wednesday.
The Thompson Fire, seen here, broke out shortly before noon Tuesday about 70 miles north of the state capital, Sacramento.
An unidentified resident, pictured above attempting to evacuate, is one of more than 28,000 who have been ordered to evacuate Butte County.
Another wildfire, dubbed the French Fire, also started near Yosemite on Thursday night amid the state’s brutal and dangerous heat wave.
This forced the evacuation of about 11,000 residents and as of Saturday afternoon, the fire was only 5 percent contained and had grown to 843 acres.
The inferno not only closed the main road into Yosemite National Park, it is one of 17 wildfires currently raging in the West Coast state.
The largest of these fires, only 46 percent contained, is the Basin Fire in Fresno County, which has burned more than 14,000 acres.
Pictured: The French Fire razes a home in Mariposa County
The French blaze was only 5 percent contained by Saturday afternoon.
The Basin Fire, pictured above, is currently the largest fire in the state at over 14,000 acres.
