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Brush Fires Closes Highway Between Santa Maria, Cuyama

Shutdown expected to last until 10 Monday night

A pair of brush fires closed the highway linking Santa Barbara and Kern Counties.

Highway 166 is shut down in both directions near Tepusquet Road, east of Santa Maria. The fires were reported at around 11:15 Monday morning.

There's no word of any structures being damaged. One of the fires is reported to be about five acres in size, and the other is around 15 acres. Firefighters are reported to have the upper hand on both of the blazes.

The shutdown means a major detour for travelers. Caltrans officials say they expect the highway to reopen at around 10 Monday night.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.