The massive Lake Fire has now burned 27,000 acres of land in Santa Barbara County, but there's new progress towards stopping it. Containment is up to 16%.
The fire is burning in the Los Padres National Forest, north of the Santa Ynez Valley. Firefighters have been focused on keeping the flames from moving south, towards valley communities like Los Olivos.
The fire has been pushing east for the last few days.
Firefighting efforts continue to be hampered by rugged terrain and extreme heat. Aircraft are still playing a major role in the firefight. The hot weather is expected to continue for at least two more days before easing as we move into the weekend.
One structure has been reported damaged. Some 2700 firefighters are now battling the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
