Coast Fire: Wildfire Breaks Out In Lompoc, Santa Barbara County

Another wildfire broke out in Southern California Thursday afternoon, this time in Santa Barbara County. The Coast Fire started at about 12:45 p.m. local time near San Julian Road south of Lompoc, said Santa Barbara County Fire public information officer Mike Eliason.

Crews from both Santa Barbara County Fire and Lompoc City Fire were dispatched to fight the flames, according to the Lompoc Record. Firefighters initially had difficulty reaching the flames due to the remoteness of the location, KEYT reported.

The fire burned through 13.6 acres and was 30 percent contained at last update, Eliason said. Full containment was expected to be reached at any time. Initial estimates suggested the fire burned through 20 acres but was subsequently amended to 13.6 acres.

“The 20 acres was just an eyeball estimate over hilly terrain,” said Eliason, according to the Lompoc Record.

Firefighters were warned of potential dangers in the area due to downed powerlines. Minimal winds allowed crews to quickly contain much of the blaze.

“The winds are calm,” said Eliason. “If you know that area, that’s a huge difference because winds can pick up in the afternoon.”

It remained unclear what caused the Coast Fire to start. Officials said it was under investigation.

Multiple other wildfires continued to burn in Southern California, the largest of which was the Thomas Fire, at 252,500 acres. The fire was 35 percent contained Friday but had already destroyed almost 1,000 structures, damaged another 218 and caused one firefighter fatality. The Thomas Fire reached near-record breaking proportions over the weekend when it became the fourth largest in California history. Estimates suggest the fire has already cost more than $82 million.

“We’re facing a new reality in this state,” California Gov. Jerry Brown said recently. “Fires threaten people’s lives, their properties, their neighborhoods and of course, billions and billions of dollars. With climate change, some scientists are saying Southern California is literally burning up.”