A CalFire air tanker drops fire suppressant on a vegetation fire in the Santa Maria Riverbed in southern San Luis Obispo County on Thursday.
A CalFire air tanker drops fire suppressant on a vegetation fire in the Santa Maria Riverbed in southern San Luis Obispo County on Thursday. Credit: Tim Mossholder photo

A vegetation fire erupted in the Santa Maria Riverbed in southern San Luis Obispo County late Thursday afternoon.

The fire had burned about 70 acres of grass in the riverbed on the east side of Highway 101 by 5:20 p.m., Cal Fire spokesperson Ryan Greed said.

CalFire, Santa Barbara County and U.S. Forest Service crews responded to a vegetation fire burning in the Santa Maria Riverbed on Thursday.
CalFire, Santa Barbara County and U.S. Forest Service crews responded to a vegetation fire burning in the Santa Maria Riverbed on Thursday. Credit: CalFire SLO photo

By 8:45 p.m., it had reached an estimated 80 acres, and was fully contained, the agency said in a post on X.

The blaze ignited at about 4:30 p.m., Greed said. The closest cross streets to the fire were Highway 166 and Bull Canyon Road.

CalFire sent air tankers and helicopters to drop fire suppressant on the blaze.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service also helped battle the blaze, he said.

No injuries were reported, and no structures were damaged.

The vegetation fire burns about 70 acres of grass in the Santa Maria Riverbed on the east side of Highway 101 on Thursday.
A vegetation fire burns in the Santa Maria Riverbed on the east side of Highway 101 on Thursday. Credit: Tim Mossholder photo