Fire engulfs car in flames on Highway 101 in SLO County
A car caught fire Tuesday afternoon on Highway 101 just outside of Santa Margarita.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s traffic information page, the car’s engine started smoking while heading northbound on the highway around 1:26 p.m when Cal Fire was dispatched to the scene.
Five minutes later, the vehicle was reported to be “fully engulfed” in flames, catching nearby vegetation on fire.
As of 2 p.m. northbound Highway 101 traffic was still backed up, although the fire appeared to be put out.
The CHP did not report any injuries.
This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 2:10 PM.
Libbey Hanson
The Tribune