A fast-moving vegetation fire burned at least 130 acres near the Lompoc federal prisons Thursday afternoon, initially prompting evacuation orders for part of Vandenberg Village.
At approximately 12:10 p.m., personnel from the Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other firefighting agencies were dispatched to the incident off Santa Lucia Canyon Road.
The fire was burning 1 mile north of the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex on the south side of the road.
The fire grew to about 130 acres within a few hours, according Karen Cruz-Orduña from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. She also reported 30% containment as of 4:30 p.m.
No injuries or structure damage were reported, she added.
Crews stopped the fire’s forward progress shortly after, and all the evacuation orders and warnings were lifted in the late afternoon.
Firefighting crews were stationed at the blaze overnight and possibly until Saturday, Cruz-Orduña said.
The Sheriff’s Office initially ordered evacuations for Providence Landing and lower Vandenberg Village. Authorities reduced all evacuation orders to warnings, and then lifted them altogether, according to Raquel Zick from the Sheriff’s Office. Get evacuation and fire updates and maps here.
At least one air tanker had been released from the incident, promising signs of the efforts to corral the fire.
Earlier, Maple High School was evacuated with students bused to Cabrillo High School to be picked up by parents.
Parents of some students who take the bus to other Lompoc Unified School District campuses in Vandenberg Village and at Vandenberg SFB were told to pick them up Thursday.
Buena Vista Elementary School students who take the bus and have bus stops at Maple High School and the prison stayed at Buena Vista until parents picked them up.
Vandenberg Middle School students who take the bus and have bus stops at Maple High School and the prison remained at VMS awaiting their parents or guardians.
Cabrillo High School students who take the bus and have bus stops at Maple High School and the prison, as well as students who live south of the freeway, stayed campus until picked by parents at the regular release time.
Bus service was provided to all other students at the three schools and the remainder of the district.
Allan Hancock College closed its Lompoc Valley Center for the day after county officials issued an evacuation warning for the site, according to a notice from community college officials.
Any day and evening classes scheduled for the rest of Thursday were canceled.
Hancock officials said all Lompoc students and Lompoc employees should leave the campus in a calm and orderly fashion.
The Food Share event scheduled for Thursday at the Lompoc Valley Center has been canceled, Hancock officials said.
Late Thursday afternoon, Hancock officials said the Lompoc Valley Center would be open Friday and resume all classes and operations. Staff and faculty can return to campus on Friday, as well as students if they have classes.
Several road closures were reported in the area including the Constellation Road off-ramp for southbound Highway 1 traffic.
The Air Pollution Control Board said an air quality watch was still in effect for Santa Barbara County due to effects of the Mountain Fire burning in Ventura County and the Santa Lucia Fire burning near Lompoc.
“Both fires are producing significant smoke & wind conditions are dispersing the smoke plume throughout the region. Current ground level air quality conditions across the County are good to moderate, with Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in close proximity to Santa Lucia fire,” APCD officials said Thursday afternoon.
Initial Response
The fast-moving fire apparently began on the west side of the road on Vandenberg property, but firefighters said it had the potential to move into off-base land, according to emergency dispatch reports.
Firefighters reported large amounts of smoke showing as they left their station en route in the incident.
Within half an hour of being reported, the head of the fire was halfway between Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Moonglow Road, leading to evacuation orders for Vandenberg Village, according to emergency dispatch reports.
Air tankers, helicopters and bull dozers were ordered to assist at the incident.
Employee housing at the federal prison complex has been evacuated, according to emergency dispatch traffic.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but authorities reportedly talked to someone possibly familiar with how the blaze started.
California Highway Patrol officers were sent to provide traffic control due to the closure of Santa Lucia Canyon Road in the area, while Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue team members also helped with notifying residents.
