An individual mowing dry vegetation and brush has been cited for sparking a fire in Los Alamos on Saturday afternoon.
Personnel from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department began responding to the incident east of Highway 101 at 3 p.m., fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said.
As a precaution due to windy conditions, authorities called for the evacuation of the Skyview Los Alamos motel, according to emergency dispatch reports.
The fire blackened 6.5 acres before it was contained.
The individual, whose name was not released, has been cited for operating a mower in dry vegetation and burning land that is not their own, Bertucelli said.
County firefighters reminded residents to take safety precautions when operating equipment in wild land areas.
These tips include:
» Never use mowers with metal blades in dry vegetation; use weed trimmers with nylon string.
» Mow before 10 am, and never mow during critical weather conditions.
» Ensure your tractor, mower, and equipment is equipped with an approved spark
arrestor.
» Have a water extinguisher and 46-inch round tip shovel readily available.
» Keep a phone nearby to call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.