Thomas Fire jumps San Ysidro Canyon; evacuations ordered for Montecito, Summerland

»» Follow continuing coverage of the Thomas Fire on Sunday, Dec. 17, HERE.

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Update: 2 p.m.

Several Highway 101 off ramps will be closed Saturday for an unknown duration because of the Thomas Fire, according to a tweet from California Highway Patrol.

The following northbound exits will be closed: Padaro/Santa Claus Ln., Evans St., Sheffield Dr., San Ysidro Rd., Olive Mill Rd., Hermosillo Rd. and Cabrillo Blvd./Hot Springs Rd.

The following southbound exits will be closed: Los Positas, Cabrillo Blvd., Olive Mill Rd., San Ysidro Rd., Sheffiel Rd., Summerland and North Padaro Ln.

Update: 1:30 p.m.

The California Highway Patrol has reopened the northbound lanes of Highway 101 near Seacliff.

Meanwhile, United Airlines canceled all flights at Santa Barbara Airport on Saturday. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights arrived as scheduled.

Update: 12:20 p.m.

More than 8,300 firefighters are battling the Thomas Fire, at a cost of $103.9 million, according to a tweet from the Ventura County Fire Department.

A look at the largest wildfires in California, per Cal Fire:

▪ Cedar Fire: Burned 273,246 acres. October 2003 in San Diego County. A lost hunter started the blaze to signal for help.

▪ Rush Fire: Burned 271,911 acres in California, and 43,666 in Nevada. August 2012 in Lassen County. Started by lightning.

▪ Thomas Fire: Has burned 259,000 acres so far. Cause is under investigation.

▪ Rim Fire: Burned 257,314 acres. August 2013 in Tuolumne County. Started by an illegal campfire.

▪ Zaca Fire: Burned 240,207 acres. July 2007 in Santa Barbara County. Started by sparks from grinding equipment during a water pipe repair.

Update: 11:30 a.m.

There is now a voluntary evacuation warning for the area south of Highway 192, west of Mission Canyon Road, north of State Street, east of Nomad Village/San Vicente Mobile Home Park, according to a tweet from the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management. If you are in this area, be prepared to leave.

See below for more evacuation orders from this morning:

Original story

Efforts by firefighters to hold the Thomas Fire in San Ysidro Canyon and stop the spread of the giant wildfire failed Saturday as gusty winds propelled the flames farther west.

There is a mandatory evacuation notice for the Montecito and Summerland area north of Alameda Padre Sierra/South Salinas Street and Highway 101, south of 192, east of Mission Canyon Road and west of Hot Springs/Summit Road. Cal Fire reports that the blaze has grown to 259,000 acres and is 40 percent contained.

A list of evacuations as of 10:15 a.m.:

▪  The area north of Highway 101, south of Highway 192, west of Toro Canyon Road, and east of Summit Road/east of the Country Club.

▪  Montecito and Summerland area north of Alameda Padre Sierra/South Salinas Street and Highway 101, south of 192, east of Mission Canyon Road, and west of Hot Springs/Summit Road.

▪  North of Highway 192 to East Camino Cielo between Highway 150 and Mission Canyon Road.

▪  Hot Springs Road to Buena Vista Road, from Highway 192 north to East Camino Cielo.

▪  Buena Vista east to the county line and north of Highway 192 (East Valley Road), to include the 900 block of Park Lane east.

▪  Carpinteria area East of Toro Canyon Road east to Highway 150, North of Hwy 192 to Camino Cielo.

▪  Carpinteria area East of intersection of Casitas Pass Road and Highway 192, north of Highway 192, and west of the county line.

▪  Highway 192 north to East Camino Cielo between Toro Canyon Road and Linden Ave.

▪  Shepherd Mesa, Gobernador Canyon (Entrance for residents only).

Click here for the latest information on evacuations in Santa Barbara County. Click here for Ventura County.

Northbound Highway 101 is closed at the Seacliff exit.

The fire has moved through Hot Springs Canyon to Cold Springs Canyon, and was burning on Montecito Peak, according to Jude Olivos, a spokesman for Thomas Fire incident command.

Heavy flames, fanned by winds gusting to 65 mph, were visible from Montecito’s Upper Village, and a fleet of fire engines remained in position to protect homes and other structures in Montecito.

“This thing is just coming down off the hills,” Capt. David Zaniboni of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department told Noozhawk.

Firefighters had hoped to make a stand in San Ysidro Canyon after carving a containment line up the rugged mountainside, but the winds proved too much. The flames were moving rapidly toward the huge fuel break that crews have established east of Gibraltar Road.

Gusty conditions were making it difficult for helicopters to operate.

Highway 154 was reportedly completely shut down, but that could not immediately be confirmed.

“The smoke is horrific,” Zaniboni said, adding that visibility in Montecito was very poor.

Zaniboni urged anyone still in the mandatory evacuation areas to leave immediately.

Additional details were not immediately available. Check back for updates to this story.

This story was originally published December 16, 2017 at 9:56 AM with the headline "Thomas Fire jumps San Ysidro Canyon; evacuations ordered for Montecito, Summerland."