Santa Barbara County wildfire that burned almost 17,000 acres is finally out
The Alisal Fire in Santa Barbara County is officially out, with no smoke, flames or hot spots observed for more than 30 days, according to a news release by Los Padres National Forest officials.
Fire officials completed suppression repair on fire lines and will continue repairing Burned Area Emergency Response work for the next 30 days, according to the release.
The Alisal Fire started in Santa Barbara County on Oct. 11 and burned 16,970 acres before being fully contained on Nov. 20, according to the release. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Alisal Fire led to repercussions throughout the Central Coast.
The wildfire closed Highway 101 for three days as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Travelers were advised to take Highway 154 instead, according to the California Highway Patrol.
PG&E instituted two public safety power shutoffs that impacted roughly 1,500 of San Luis Obispo County residents due to the fire risk the week of Oct. 11.
The wildfire also led to evacuations for Santa Barbara County residents, including those living in the area west of Arroyo Hondo to the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 1, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
The agency also issued evacuation orders for residents of Arroyo Hondo Canyon, Refugio Canyon, and the area between El Capitan Beach State Park and West Camino Cielo.
This story was originally published December 3, 2021 at 10:33 AM.
