Edhat Staff
Santa Barbara County Fire Department successfully contained a vegetation fire in the canyon above El Capitan Resort along the Gaviota Coast on Wednesday evening.
The blaze, which consumed roughly 1.1 acres, was reported at 6:12 p.m. with no threatened structures.
Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters were faced with a moderate rate of spread over approximately 1 acre of vegetation. Their swift response ensured that the fire’s progress was halted by 7:41 PM, with no need for dozers that were initially called to assist.
No request for additional resources beyond the first alarm was made, as the fire crews efficiently managed to control the situation. Fire personnel remained on location, conducting mop-up operations to prevent any potential resurgence of the fire.
Additionally, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed an arson suspect with a sword was arrested while Santa Barbara County firefighters battled the fire set by the suspect.
Around 5:15 p.m. deputies responded with State Parks to the area of El Capitan Canyon Resort for a report of a suspect exhibiting odd behavior.
As they were responding, the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Simon Khalili from Woodland Hills, attempted to flee in his vehicle onto a dirt access road where his vehicle became stuck. Khalili then fled on foot into the canyon, according to the Sheriff’s Office
Deputies paused their pursuit into the dangerous terrain and minutes later, a fire erupted in the brush where Khalili fled within State Parks property. Deputies then learned that Khalili was possibly armed with a sword.
Sheriff’s Deputies, along with County Fire, briefly retreated to give County Air Support room for two water drops. Deputies developed a force protection plan where deputies shielded firefighters, allowing them to approach the fire on foot while the suspect remained an active threat.
Deputies Apprehend Armed Suspect While Firefighters Knock Down Fire. Read more here: https://t.co/UJ9FB7IL1O pic.twitter.com/2sIfn2qHa5
— SB Sheriff’s Office (@sbsheriff) May 15, 2025
A Sheriff’s K9 unit arrived to assist while Air Support maintained observation overhead. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the suspect surrendered to deputies and was transferred custody to State Parks for the arrest. County fire stopped forward progress of the fire at 7:41 p.m., with an estimated 1.1 acre burn area, the Sheriff’s Office states.
Khalili was booked at the Main Jail by State Parks for a felony charge of arson as well as misdemeanors including trespassing, brandishing a weapon, and negligent fire setting. He is being held on $75,000 bail.
MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!! Hope he gets locked up! He waited until a VERY windy evening up here to do this. The Gaviota Coast is too precious and has so much wildlife. That a person could that sickens me…
And yet you don’t mind the oil pipeline. Cognitive dissonance much?
Creepy that you remember that…
So, you think your comments are throwaways?
Comments that are repeatedly glaringly ignorant are hard to forget.
These Central Coast beach towns are starting to attract a lot of weirdos.
From other cities.
Case in point.
BTW, pipeline was terrible but not near the damage of a wildfire. A year later, the coast looked back to normal.
One of the main reasons that I approve of the pipeline is that I use oil and I am not a hypocrite.
LOL the coast was not “back to normal” just because while driving by on the 101 you didn’t see oil. Come on….
Glad you acknowledge hypocrisy, but in a world where it’s impossible to NOT use oil, opposing oil drilling while still owning a computer, phone, house, etc is not being a hypocrite.