Crews continue to successfully work on surrounding the Lake Fire burning north of the Santa Ynez Valley as the weather forecast for the coming days calls for “dangerously hot conditions.”
As of Wednesday, the Lake Fire has blackened 38,663 acres with firefighters reporting 42% containment.
The fire ignited on the afternoon of July 5 near Zaca Lake and quickly spread while fueled by tall, dry grasses and hot weather. Personnel numbered 3,200.
Progress in containing the fire comes as an excessive heat watch is set take effect Friday morning and continue through the evening of July 24, according to the National Weather Service.
This will bring temperatures up to 95 to 110 degrees each day for a large portion of the mountains, foothills, and valleys away from the coast. Low temperatures overnight will remain in the 70s in those areas.
Isolated thunderstorms and monsoonal showers also may occur for interior mountains and deserts.
Adding to firefighting concerns, gusty sundowner winds will affect portions of southern Santa Barbara County through Friday night.
The forecast calls for winds between 20 to 35 mph from the northwest with gusts expected up to 45 to 50 mph.
In recent days crews have been assisted by cooler weather and increased humidity as containment grew.
“We’ve reached a point in the incident where we’ve been able to keep the fire within its current footprint and that’s a testament and a reflection of all the hard work that’s been done by everybody that’s been assigned to this incident throughout the duration of it,” said Cal Fire’s Jim Hudson, one of Lake Fire incident commanders.
Evacuations and Closures
On Wednesday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office cancelled evacuation orders and warnings for areas south of the fire perimeter.
Areas remaining under an evacuation order are:
- Between the western fire perimeter and the Los Padres National Forest Fire Area Closure
- East of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, south of the Los Padres National Forest boundary, and north of the Sisquoc River
Additionally, an evacuation warning remains in effect for the area east of Kelly Canyon, north of Sisquoc River, west of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, and south of the Los Padres National Forest.
The Los Padres National Forest closed a large of area of land affected by the Lake Fire, with the closure in effect until Aug. 18 or until revised.
The closure order, affecting areas in the forest’s Santa Lucia and Santa Barbara ranger districts, can be viewed here and the map is here.
Forest Service officials noted the July 13 opening of archery season, reminding archers to be aware of the closures and that firefighters may be accessing areas a distance from the blaze as they prepare indirect and contingency lines.
Road closures also continue in the area with a map available here. The closed roads are:
- Happy Canyon Road at the Forest Service boundary
- Figueroa Mountain just north of Midland School
- Forest Route 10N06
- Zaca Lake Road, east of Foxen Canyon Road