Monday was cool and dry, with the season’s first storm arriving by Wednesday morning, effectively ending our “fire season”. We also had one last day of strong off-shore winds, blowing up to 60 mph from inland, coming over the mountains behind Santa Barbara and down-slope to the coast. Due to our mountain ridges going east to west, instead of north-south like in much of SoCal, our winds are called ‘sundowners’ and ‘off-shore’, whereas in much of SoCal the winds are called Santa Annas.
A small fire started Monday afternoon just after 4 pm, on the ridge behind Santa Barbara, near Painted Cave community on top of San Marcos Pass. Painted Cave has been the source and victim of many fires in the past, mostly because it sits on top of the pass near 154, a major road from Santa Barbara to the Santa Ynez valley.
This is how they start—some smoke on the ridge. (Will Macfadyen photo)
By the time I arrived home at 5:15, I could see flames on the ridge, with at least fifteen fire trucks visible by their flashing red lights. Many people in my neighborhood, close to the coast, stood on the street watching the flames on the ridge, hoping the firefighters could isolate the fire and stop it on the ridge, but the winds started blowing hard and the fire started advancing into remote and rugged canyons, as well as a major downslope ridge.
Flames burn across a hillside off Highway 154 Monday night. The blaze had charred at least 3,300 acres. (Mike Eliason / Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo)
Our hopes were in vain; just one hour later the fire had reached the bottom of the ridge, just above the “uptown” area of the city of Santa Barbara. The winds then pushed to east toward the main hillsides and canyons behind the city, and west toward the hills behind the city of Goleta.
Like everyone else, I tried to sleep while helicopters worked all night, including LA County Fire’s ‘Firehawk’, capable of night vision and making water drops at night. It’s now before dawn and I can hear at least one still working the fire.
Reports are that that the “Cave Fire” is now over 3500 acres, an estimate from about midnight. We won’t know it’s current size or situation until the sun comes up and authorities can do an overview. There is no word on structures burned, though SB County Fire reported no buildings burned as of about midnight. If so, we’re really lucky—the winds were over 40 mph in the front country last night, and there’s little to stop a fire when the winds fan the flames. One good thing is that the path of the fire is in several burn ‘scars’ from fires over the last ten to twelve years, but brush grows fast and all of it is very dry. Remember, we’re at the end of our dry season and haven’t had rain since spring.
A vegetation fire burns in the Santa Ynez Mountains above the Santa Barbara South Coast Monday night. (Ray Ford / Noozhawk photo)
I’ll update when reports come in, probably mid-morning. (Photos sourced from Noozhawk.com with photographer’s attributions.)
Flames from the Cave Fire light up the sky in southern Santa Barbara County Monday night. (Daniel Anderson photo)
Tuesday, Nov 26, 2019 · 3:52:12 PM +00:00 · marksb
Update from Noozhawk.com @ 7:30 AM PST:
Widespread evacuations were ordered and Highway 154 was closed to traffic Monday night as a vegetation fire, whipped by gusty north winds, ripped through the chaparral in the mountains above Santa Barbara.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, what has been dubbed the Cave Fire had charred an estimated 4,100 acres, according to Capt. Daniel Bertucelli, Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman.
Containment was at 0%.
No homes have been damaged, Bertucelli said, although one or two outbuildings apparently have been destroyed.
Some 600 firefighters were assigned to the blaze, supported by a large fleet of aircraft: 10 air tankers and 9 helicopters, Bertucalli said.
Several homes and other structures were threatened overnight by the flames, particularly in the Cieneguitas Road area, said Mike Eliason, a Fire Department spokesman.
However, there had been no confirmation of any structures damaged or destroyed.
"Down canyon winds are really pushing it now," fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli told Noozhawk. "It's a very dynamic situation."
Update: 8:20. Reports are about 600 firefighters were assigned to the blaze, as well as 10 air tankers and nine helicopters. Here are two shots by Ray Ford, backcountry expert and an amazing photographer:
Sunrise over Santa Barbara
Laying down a perimeter.
