Update: Fire burning off Highway 166 grows to 96 acres

Update, 9 p.m.:

The fire burning off Highway 166 grew to 96 acres as of 8 p.m., the Los Padres National Forest tweeted Friday evening.

The fire is still burning at a moderate rate of spread.

Original story:

Firefighters from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties are battling a new blaze that broke out along Highway 166 on Friday afternoon.

What is being called the Rinconada Fire started between New Cuyama and Santa Maria late Friday afternoon, according to a tweet by Los Padres National Forest.

The fire was 76 acres as of 6 p.m., burning in grass and brush at a moderate rate of spread.

Los Padres Fire personnel were fighting the fire with assistance from Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Cal Fire and U.S. Bureau of Land Management crews.

This story was originally published August 11, 2023 at 6:34 PM.

Kaytlyn Leslie

The Tribune

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Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.