Cave Fire erupts in Santa Barbara County, scorching 4,300 acres

No injuries have been reported in the Cave Fire, that broke out Monday.

November 26, 2019, 3:07 PM

A wildfire that has erupted in Santa Barbara County is 0% contained as of Tuesday after it scorched 4,300 acres.

No injuries have been reported in the Cave Fire, that broke out Monday afternoon and was fueled by winds up to 50 mph.

PHOTO: The Cave fire burns a hillside above houses in Santa Barbara, Calif., Nov. 26, 2019.
The Cave fire burns a hillside above houses in Santa Barbara, Calif., Nov. 26, 2019.
AFP via Getty Images
PHOTO: The "Cave Fire" burns a hillside near homes in Santa Barbara, Calif., November 26, 2019.
The "Cave Fire" burns a hillside near homes in Santa Barbara, Calif., November 26, 2019.
AFP via Getty Images

Over 5,000 residents evacuated, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said Tuesday. No homes have been destroyed, officials said.

The Cave Fire is creating some of the toughest firefighting conditions anywhere in the world, Los Padres National Forest Fire Chief Jim Harris said Tuesday.

Harris said the land is extremely dry not only because it's the end of the dry season, but also because several offshore wind events have dried the area out even more

Santa Barbara County Fire Battalion Chief Anthony Stornetta described it as "quite the firefight" as winds move up slope, down slope and across slope.

The cause of the blaze is unknown, Brown said.

Rain is heading to the region on Wednesday, which could help fight the fire. But the one to two inches of rainfall could also cause debris to flow in parts of coastal Southern California.

The Cave Fire also caused some power outages in parts of southern Santa Barbara County. The number of those without power was not clear.

Stornetta said Tuesday that the number-one priority is to get residents back home.

PHOTO: A helicopter drops water on the Cave Fire burning along Highway 154 in Los Padres National Forest, Calif., above Santa Barbara, Nov. 26, 2019.
A helicopter drops water on the Cave Fire burning along Highway 154 in Los Padres National Forest, Calif., above Santa Barbara, Nov. 26, 2019.
Noah Berger/AP

Click here for health tips for residents who are escaping the flames.

PHOTO: Firefighters battle a wildfire dubbed the Cave Fire burning in the hills of Santa Barbara, Calif., Nov. 26, 2019.
Firefighters battle a wildfire dubbed the Cave Fire burning in the hills of Santa Barbara, Calif., Nov. 26, 2019.
David Mcnew/Reuters

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