A wind-driven wildfire was threatening homes north of Santa Barbara overnight, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders and close roads.
What's happening: The Cave Fire was reported Monday and has burned some 30 acres since breaking out in Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County, per the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
#CaveFire- Burning in the Los Padres NF on E. Camino Cielo near Painted Cave. pic.twitter.com/q6Q0y50sDC
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) November 26, 2019
- It's "being pushed south by 15-mph down-canyon winds with 30-mph gusts" that were expected to increase overnight, the Los Angeles Times reports.
What they're saying: The National Weather Service said in a statement, "Gusty winds will make driving difficult and could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result."
- Santa Barbara County Fire Department public information officer Capt. Daniel Bertucelli told the LA Times, "We're going to fight fire throughout the night, and tomorrow when the sun comes up, we'll get a better understanding of what sort of damage we have."
The big picture: Last month, a state of emergency was declared in California as a series of wildfires devastated communities in the north and south.
- The Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center warned in a report this month that California could continue to endure wildfires until December.
Go deeper: In photos: Dramatic scenes from California's wildfires
