Santa Barbara finds itself forced to go into the holiday season much the way it did two years ago. Yet another fire is rampaging along the urban-rural interface where thick, sprawling strands of highly flammable chaparral stand six feet high. This time, the fire started on the urban side of the mountains, and intense night winds pushed the flames downslope to within a mile of Cathedral Oaks Road. A fire that started at 15 acres at 4 p.m. quickly expanded to 100, then 500, then 3,300 acres by 9 p.m. At dawn’s early light Tuesday morning, it was 4,100 acres. Fire commanders expect it will grow to at least 5,000 acres by the end of day two.
As of this writing, Tuesday, November 26, the Cave Fire, which originated at the intersection of Camino Cielo and San Marcos Pass roads, is officially uncontained. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but there’s no indication that arson was involved. To date, only one structure — described in official reports as an “out structure” — has been damaged or destroyed. That, however, can change with a gust of the wind.
Fifteen thousand homes are at risk as law enforcement agencies have found themselves yet again knocking on doors to be sure residents have evacuated. Sheriff Bill Brown said the total population living in the mandatory evacuation box was 5,484. Of the 2,284 residences contacted Monday, he said, 517 had evacuated, 324 did not, and 1,357 did not answer their phones. Fire Chief Mark Hartwig stressed: “If you see fire and smell smoke, don’t wait to be told.”