Ground crews and firefighting aircraft were deployed to a wildfire along Highway 101 near Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday.
Ground crews and firefighting aircraft were deployed to a wildfire along Highway 101 near Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday. Credit: Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo

Firefighters responded to two wildfires reported along Highway 101 on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday afternoon, including one that caused a full southbound closure of the highway.

At 4:18 p.m., a vegetation fire was reported along Highway 101 near Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast.

All southbound lanes were closed for hours in the area, with drivers diverted to Highway 154.

Lanes were reopening around 10 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Ground crews and firefighting aircraft were deployed to a wildfire along Highway 101 near Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday.
Ground crews and firefighting aircraft were deployed to a wildfire along Highway 101 near Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday. Credit: Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo

That fire was first reported as a center divider fire that spotted to the ocean side of Highway 101, Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck said.

Ground crews and firefighting aircraft were deployed to the scene and reportedly stopped the fire’s growth at 30 acres around 6:30 p.m. Crews planned to stay on scene all night to extinguish hot spots, he said Tuesday evening.

The earlier blaze was reported near Tajiguas Landfill and the Highway 101 vista point around 2:50 p.m. The vegetation fire burned about 1 acre and winds were pushing the fire toward the ocean, Safechuck said.

No structures were threatened.

Firefighting crews responded to a wildfire burning along Highway 101 on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighting crews responded to a wildfire burning along Highway 101 on the Gaviota Coast Tuesday afternoon. Credit: Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo

“Firefighters working to flank fire in steep terrain with hose lines and hand crews,” he added.

Authorities cleared people out of the vista point and notified Union Pacific Railroad that the blaze was burning over the coastal tracks. Train traffic was temporarily stopped in the area.

The cause of the fires is under investigation.

The weather in the area was warm and breezy. Southern California Edison had activated public safety power shutoffs for the Tajiguas area and other communities along the Santa Barbara South Coast.

Noozhawk executive editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.