Fire burning in eastern SLO County grows to 90 acres
Update, 8:06 p.m.:
The fire blazed 90 acres with 50% containment by 7:20 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
Earlier, Cal Fire tweeted “forward progression of the fire has been stopped.”
Update, 2:54 p.m.:
The fire east of Santa Margarita reached 81 acres and was 45% contained by 3 p.m. according to emergency radio.
A “hard closure” of Highway 58 at La Panza and Shell Creek Road was requested just after 2 p.m.
Traffic was diverted to Highway 46, contributing to heavy traffic on northbound Highway 101 in Paso Robles.
Update, 2:06 p.m.:
The 80-acre fire east of Santa Margarita has the potential to burn 300 acres, according to Cal Fire.
The fire was 40% contained as of 2:06 p.m.
Cal Fire tweeted the fire was in grass and then moved into brush.
The cause of fire remains under investigation.
Update, 1:44 p.m.:
More than 32 firefighters responded to the blaze. In addition, eight engines were en route and six more were dispatched.
No injuries were reported, Cal Fire told The Tribune.
The cause of fire and percentage contained was unknown according to Cal Fire.
Update, 1:30 p.m.:
About 60 acres burned east of Santa Margarita as of 1:30 p.m, according to Cal Fire.
No structures were at risk, Cal Fire told The Tribune.
Highway 58 will be shut down for “at least two hours,” a dispatcher said through emergency radio at 1:22 p.m.
Original story:
A fire reported east of Santa Margarita on Sunday afternoon had burned 40 acres as of 12:35 p.m.
More than 20 engines were dispatched to Highway 58 at the cross of Shell Creek Road, according to Pulsepoint. The area is near the county’s most popular wildflower-viewing site.
Initially as of 12:25 p.m., a Cal Fire dispatcher told The Tribune that no evacuations and no structures were in danger.
But around 12:40, an emergency responder could be heard on radio chatter saying, “The fire is going up the hill toward those houses.”
The fire was first reported at 11:55 a.m. and was noted to be “going onto private property” according to California Highway Patrol.
Cal Fire reached the scene just after noon.
Caltrans said there are no traffic restrictions in the area at this time.
This story was originally published July 30, 2023 at 12:58 PM.
