Updated 9:50 : The Cave Fire has now burned more than 3000 acres of land.
A brush fire on the South Coast has officially burned 30 plus acres of land in the Santa Ynez Mountains, but we know it’s burned much more than that, and forced a number of evacuations. The Cave Fire started just after 4 p.m., in the East Camino Cielo area. It's in the rugged mountains off of Highway 154.
At least some of the fire is burning on Los Padres National Forest land. Santa Barbara County officials ordered a number of mandatory evacuations. A complete listing is available at readysbc.org.
Highway 154 is closed.
There’s an evacuation center set up at the Goleta Valley Community Center, and small animals can be taken to the Goleta Valley Animal Shelter.
The remote, rugged terrain and dry fuel is making the fire difficult to reach. And, the wind has made it tough for firefighters to use helicopters.
