Board of Supervisors Approve Local Emergency Declaration for Alisal Fire

By edhat staff

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a local declaration of emergency for the Alisal Fire on Tuesday.

The emergency agenda item was added less than 24 hours after the Alisal Fire sparked Monday afternoon near Alisal Lake in the Santa Ynez Valley mountains. Strong winds pushed it south over the summit and towards the Gaviota Coast. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Los Padres National Forest reported the Alisal Fire burned over 8,000 acres.

Highway 101 remains closed in both directions from Highway 1 to Winchester Canyon and evacuation orders were issued along the Gaviota coastline for approximately 270 residents and warnings for 260 more.

The Board of Supervisors met at 2:30 p.m. to vote on requesting the Governor of California to proclaim a State of Emergency covering the County of Santa Barbara.

The proclamation states the Alisal Fire is threatening as many as 100 structures, including ranches, farms, homes, state campgrounds, railway services, and County critical infrastructure.

“The Alisal Fire is causing conditions that are a threat to public health and create conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the County of Santa Barbara. These conditions are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the combined forces of Santa Barbara County Operational Area to combat,” the statement reads.

Click here for the latest information on the Alisal Fire.

[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with the result of the Board of Supervisor’s vote].