Fire Evacuates Trout Club

A small brushfire that prompted evacuation orders for residents of the Trout Club and the closure of a nearby stretch of Highway 154 is now under control, according to Mike Eliason, a public information officer with Santa Barbara County Fire Department. “They hit it really hard,” he said, adding that county crews joined volunteer firefighters from the Painted Cave area to support Los Padres National Forest, the fire’s lead agency.

The fire — which never grew bigger than two acres — started deep in a canyon just after 3 p.m. Crews were concerned with downed power lines nearby, Eliason said. “They took their time and approached with caution and got hold of it” as four helicopters made water drops and two fixed-wing aircraft remained on standby aloft. With forecasted sundowners on the way, “Ground crews will be there babysitting all night,” he said.