California wildfire forces thousands to flee their homes
Officials say thousands of Southern California residents have fled their homes because of a wildfire burning in mountains near Santa Barbara.
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Santa Barbara County Fire spokesman Mike Eliason tells the KEYT television station that as many as 6,300 people have been evacuated and that about 2,400 structures are threatened early Tuesday.
The fire erupted Monday afternoon in Los Padres National Forest and has grown to about 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares).
Flames from the Cave Fire flare above a fire truck in Los Padres National Forest, Calif., near Santa Barbara, California, on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Weather forecasts call for winds with gusts of 60 to 70 mph (97 to 112 kph) at times into Tuesday morning but rain is expected later in the day.
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Crews earlier on Tuesday were battling a wind-driven brushfire that’s threatened homes near the town of Goleta north of Santa Barbara.
The fire started at around 4 p.m. Monday in Los Padres National Forest and quickly grew to about 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares).
The fire was mainly burning in the forest but evacuations were ordered in Goleta. A fire last year in the coastal city destroyed 13 homes.
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There’s no immediate word on whether any homes have been damaged in this new blaze.
The fire is burning through dry, brushy canyons and ridges, pushed by winds gusting to 30 mph (48 kph).
Weather forecasts call for winds with gusts of 60 to 70 mph (97 to 112 kph) at times into Tuesday morning but rain is expected later in the day.