White Fire: 1,800 Acres Burned in Santa Barbara County (VIDEO)
Hundreds of firefighters on Tuesday continued to battle a fast-moving brush fire, aka White Fire, in Santa Barbara County.
More than 1,000 people had to change their Memorial Day weekend plans after a wildfire in Santa Barbara County prompted officials to call for evacuations.
The wind-whipped “White Fire,” which flared up in the mountains about 12 miles north of Santa Barbara on Monday, has already grown to about 700 acres, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Visitors to campgrounds in the Los Padres National Forest — and 125 area residents — were told to flee the fast-moving blaze this afternoon.
According to The Independent, no one was injured during the evacuation, though one U.S. Forest Service building and two vehicles were burned. The county Air Pollution Control District also issued a countywide air quality warning.
Firefighters from several counties have been deployed to the area. Fifteen fire engines and four dozers and several helicopters have been dispatched to the scene as well, The Santa Maria Times reported.
“[The fire is] being pushed by a westerly wind that’s so strong we can’t get our six air tankers off the ground,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. David Sadecki.
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