This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office dialed back some of its evacuation orders and warnings for the Lake Fire on Saturday afternoon following the county’s proclamation of a local emergency in response to the fire on Friday evening. After being ratified by the Board of Supervisors on July 16, the emergency proclamation will help bring in federal assistance if necessary and free up a broad range of county resources to be funneled directly toward fighting the fire, still the largest burning in California
Over 3,400 personnel are fighting the 38,305-acre fire, which started on July 5 near Zaca Lake and is now 19 percent contained. High winds throughout the day caused the fire to “slop over” containment lines in some areas, said Marc Peebles of the Lake Fire incident management team. Crews worked hard to dig and rebuild these lines as the day went on.
While the affected area is now on the back end of a heat wave, cooler temperatures and scattered thunderstorms over the weekend are not expected to have a positive impact on firefighting efforts. The area was upgraded from a Fire Weather Watch to a Fire Weather Warning, meaning that individuals need to be on higher alert due to gusty winds and dry lightning.
This “monsoonal moisture” is based higher up in the atmosphere, said Mike Wofford of the National Weather Service. Light rain is expected, but the atmospheric level makes it so that the rain evaporates before it can hit the ground. “The worry is lightning striking the surface with little to no rain to accompany it,” Wofford explained.
Dry lightning has struck the surface and sparked up small fires across Southern California, but it is hard to tell whether it struck the already blazing Lake Fire.
“They had a lot of weather up there today,” said Peebles on Saturday.
Senator Monique Limón visited Lake Fire Unified Command in Santa Maria on Saturday morning, applauding the firefighters working day and night to keep the fire at bay. “There are so many entities coming together to fight this fire with incredible speed and execution,” she said. “Their ability to move fast and effectively in collaboration with each other is a really big benefit.”
No new evacuation orders or warnings were issued Saturday. Some orders were downgraded to warnings, and two warnings were canceled altogether.
Evacuation orders were downgraded to evacuation warnings for the area north of Chamberlin Ranch and southwest of the 5200 block of Figueroa Mountain Road, the Woodstock community and eastern parts of Oak Trail Estates (excluding the area to the east of Lisque Creek and north of the Sedgwick Reserve, which remains under an evacuation order), and the area of KP Ranch west of Alisos Road, including parts of Estelle Vineyard Drive, Santa Agueda Creek, and Brinkerhoff Avenue.
Evacuation warnings were canceled entirely in the area east of Highway 154, north of Armour Ranch Road/Secretariate Street, west of Alisos Road, and south of the Woodstock and KP Ranch. They were also canceled for the area east of Figueroa Mountain Road, north of Highway 154, west of Calzada Avenue/W. Oak Trail Road, and south of Woodstock Road.
Highway 154 is not under an evacuation warning and is still operational.
The following areas remain under an EVACUATION ORDER:
- The area east of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, south of the Los Padres National Forest boundary, and north of the Sisquoc River
- The area to the east of Lisque Creek and north of the Sedgwick Reserve facilities.
- Goat Rock Areas (Area of Goat Rock, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the US Forest Service entrance at Happy Canyon Road, and south of Cachuma Mountain)
- SB Ranger area (remote forest area east of Goat Rock)
- Parts of the Figueroa Mountain area as follows: south of Tunnel House at Sisquoc River, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the southern end of Cachuma Mountain, and west of Los Padres National Forest areas
- All areas from Figueroa Mountain Road at Junction Camp (including Tunnel Rd) to Chamberlin Ranch and all areas from Zaca Lake Rd. at Foxen Canyon Road north to the Sisquoc River
The following areas remain under an EVACUATION WARNING:
- The area between 8721 Foxen Canyon Road and the intersection of Zaca Lake Road and Foxen Canyon Road. Foxen Canyon Road is back open.
- Area east of Kelly Canyon, north of Sisquoc River, west of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, and south of the Los Padres National Forest.
- Area starting at the south end of Cachuma Creek, northeast of Santa Cruz Creek to Santa Cruz Peak, west through Grand Spring, and to the northern part of Cachuma Creek.
- Area east and north of Alisos Rd (L-shaped road), west of Cachuma Creek, and south of the US Forest Service entrance at Happy Canyon Road.
- Areas north of Zaca Creek Road to Rancho Sisquoc and south of the Sisquoc River
For the most recent updates, including air quality information and evacuation maps, go to ReadySBC.org.
