County firefighters and a water-dropping helicopter extinguish a 2-acre vegetation fire in Santa Ynez midday Saturday. 
A firefighter hoses down a Santa Ynez vegetation fire Saturday. 
A firefighter hoses down a Santa Ynez vegetation fire Saturday. 
A vegetation fire scorches grass in Santa Ynez Saturday.
Midday Saturday, firefighters tackled a small vegetation fire in Santa Ynez that threatened three homes.
The blaze was reported around 11:45 a.m. on the 1500 block of Edison Avenue, near Highway 154, and the fire department sent a full response of engines, water tender and helicopter to the scene, Santa Barbara County Fire Department Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said.
It burned in light grasses at a moderate rate of spread, but firefighters were able to extinguish it fairly quickly and keep the homes from being damaged, he said.
Bertucelli estimated the fire’s size at 2 acres.
Earlier Saturday, a vehicle crashed into a tree and caught fire off a Goleta Highway 101 off-ramp, and one of the occupants was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Both people were able to get out of the vehicle before it caught fire, Bertucelli said.
The vehicle went off the Highway 101 northbound Storke Road offramp around 9:25 a.m. and it was in flames when firefighters arrived to the scene, Bertucelli said.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze and the California Highway Patrol will investigate the cause of the crash.
One of the people in the car was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and one was uninjured, Bertucelli said.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
