A wildfire has burned about 700 acres north of Santa Barbara. The fire is burning in the Los Padres National Forest – and it forced the closure of Paradise Road and the many campgrounds along it.
The U.S. Forest Service says the fire broke out about 2:45 Monday in Los Padres National Forest about 15 miles north of Santa Barbara and quickly surged to 500 acres amid winds of about 20 mph.
“We had about a thousand folks that were out here camping and otherwise picnicking for the day that had to be evacuated, along with a number of residences," said Andrew Madsen, a spokesman for the Los Padres National Forest. "We have initiated a full response.”
Madsen says it appears the threat to the campgrounds has abated. He says the fire is now burning into the backcountry.
But Madsen says getting a handle on the fire will depend on what happens with the winds tonight. The winds had died down a bit earlier in the evening, but he’s concerned about strong winds overnight.
