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Rugged terrain hampers battle against Zaca fire near Los Olivos
Firefighters today were battling a wildfire northwest of Santa Barbara that was burning through steep and rugged terrain fueled by low humidity and scorching temperatures.
The Zaca fire broke out just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, 15 miles north of Los Olivos. By this morning, it had blackened 700 acres of chaparral and manzanita, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Craig Vanderzwaag.
No structures were threatened.
An unknown number of visitors at Zaca Lake, near where the fire started, were voluntarily evacuated, Vanderzwaag said.
"It's in the wilderness. It's not moving really fast. It's being pushed more by topography than wind. But getting to this fire is difficult," Vanderzwaag said.
More than 200 firefighters, eight water-dropping helicopters and multiple agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, fought the blaze overnight.
The area — about 30 miles northwest of Santa Barbara — is home to wineries and farm fields in the foothills of a mountain range.
Concern that the wildfire would move toward the Los Padres National Forest remained high.
A 482-acre wildfire in Los Padres National Forest seven miles northwest of Santa Barbara was contained earlier this week.
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