VENTURA, Calif._The Santa Barbara County town of Carpinteria was under siege from the Thomas fire Sunday as fire crews fought to keep the destructive blaze from the beach community.
With the 170,000-acre fire burning out of control, authorities issued evacuation orders for parts of Carpinteria and nearby Montecito and urged residents outside the designated areas to prepare to leave.
Santa Ana winds, aided by extremely low humidity, pushed the Ventura County fire over the Santa Barbara County line Saturday night. The winds that bedeviled fire crews from San Diego to Ojai last week were gusting at speeds of up to 35 mph, fire officials said.
Their greatest concern was for Carpinteria. The fire was moving west above the city in an area of very dry vegetation that hasn't burned in about 100 years, said Steve Swindle, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
"The fuels in there are thick and they're dead so they're very receptive to fire," Swindle said.
Fire officials feared that if the fire moved into nearby creek beds, it might create a chimney-like effect, sending the flames roaring along the creek's path.
Firefighters made a stand Sunday morning at a cluster of homes where flames threatened to sweep through the area, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Crews were cutting lines outside the city in an effort to keep flames from further encroachment and "contingency strike teams" were dispatched throughout Carpinteria in case the blaze manages to cross fire lines, said Jude Olivas, a spokesman for the Thomas fire response. By midmorning Sunday, the fire was burning the Camino Cielo Mountain Range and approaching a school under mandatory evacuation. On its website, the Cate School said it would remain closed until after winter break, according to fire officials.
Southern California Edison officials said Sunday that up to 85,000 customers in Santa Barbara County were without power.
The Santa Barbara Zoo was closed to the public Sunday and its 500 animals confined to their night quarters. The zoo was outside the evacuation area and not in immediate danger, but there was smoke and ash on the 30-acre property.
"We drill for and are prepared for emergencies," zoo Director Nancy McToldridge said on Facebook. "We are taking all precautions to ensure the safety of our animals and our staff."
