A wildfire burning in the Los Padres National Forest of Santa Barbara County has quickly grown to nearly 11,000 acres, and containment has dropped to just 10%.
Mike Eliason of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said 500 firefighters are working to control the Rey Fire, but it’s not easy.
"It's steep and rugged terrain, hot and dry temperatures," he said. "It's going to be a very difficult fire to fight, moving out there in the open wilderness."
The brush fire broke out Thursday afternoon near the White Rock Picnic Area in the rugged backcountry of the Santa Ynez Valley. It prompted the evacuation of some campgrounds and about 30 nearby homes. So far, there are no reports of damage to any buildings.
Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire.