The massive Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County continues to grow, now topping more than 26,000 acres burned. The east side of the blaze surged overnight Monday into Tuesday. It prompted additional evacuation orders, but they are for remote areas deep in the Los Padres National Forest.
More than 2400 firefighters are now involved in the firefight. Much of the emphasis has been on the south side of the fire. Crews have worked to keep the inferno from moving south, towards communities in the Santa Ynez Valley. Because of the rugged terrain, air tankers and helicopters are playing a key role in battling the blaze.
One structure has been reported damaged, but there may be other isolated cabins in the forest which may have been destroyed or damaged.
The extreme fire conditions are predicted to continue for the next few days, with some relief expected as we move into the weekend.
The fire started Friday afternoon, off of Figueroa Mountain Road north of the Santa Ynez Valley. The cause is still under investigation.
There's one bit of encouraging news: Containment of the fire has grown from 8% to 12%.
