Calif. blazes threaten beach enclaves
Ventura County • acres burned • contained • homes threatened • residents evacuated • structures destroyed • More than personnel fighting fire Sylmar, Los Angeles County • acres burned • contained • homes destroyed • damaged • Most evacuation orders lifted • significant firefighter injuries and several minor firefighter injuries • personnel fighting fire San Diego County • acres burned • containment • At least people burned; one suffered smoke inhalation • firefighters injured • At least evacuated • At least structures destroyed, damaged Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County • acres burned • contained • structure destroyed • No more evacuations Bel Air, Los Angeles County • acres burned • contained • homes destroyed • damaged • Some evacuation
orders still in place • people fighting
the fires VENTURA, Calif. — A powerful flareup on the western edge of Southern California’s largest and most destructive wildfire sent residents fleeing Sunday, as wind-fanned flames churned through old-growth brush in canyons and along hillsides toward coastal towns.
With the 170,000-acre fire burning out of control, authorities issued evacuation orders for portions of the picturesque beach community of Carpinteria and nearby Montecito and urged residents outside the designated areas to begin preparing to leave.
Santa Ana winds, aided by extremely low humidity, were spreading the fire as they were gusting at speeds of up to 35 Murrieta, Riverside County • acres burned • contained • At least structure and
outbuildings destroyed • No more evacuations San Bernardino County • acres burned • contained • All resources released • Evacuations lifted mph, fire officials said.
Their greatest concern was for Carpinteria. The fire was moving west above the city in an area of very dry vegetation that hasn’t burned in about 100 years, said Steve Swindle, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
“The fuels in there are thick and they’re dead, so they’re very receptive to fire,” Swindle said.
Officials feared that if the fire moves into nearby creek beds, it might create a chimney-like effect, sending the flames roaring along the creek’s path.
Firefighters on Sunday morning were making a stand at a cluster of homes on Shepard Mesa Road, where flames threatened to sweep through the area, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The department posted a photo of one home burning on Gobernador Canyon Road. It’s unclear whether other structures were lost.
The air thick with acrid smoke, even residents of areas not under evacuation orders took the opportunity to leave, fearing another shutdown of U.S. 101, a key coastal highway that was closed intermittently last week.
Officials handed masks to residents who stayed behind in Montecito, the wealthy hillside enclave that’s home to celebrities out such as Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bridges and Rob Lowe. “Our house is under threat of being burned,” Ellen DeGeneres tweeted at midday Sunday. “We just had to evacuate our pets. I’m praying for everyone in our community and thankful to all the incredible firefighters.” A few miles to the west, Santa Barbara Zoo was closed to the public and its 500 animals confined to their night quarters all day. The zoo was just outside the evacuation area, but smoke and ash blew through the 30-acre property. “We drill for and are prepared for emergencies,” zoo director Nancy Mc-