An estimated 3700 people have been evacuated in Santa Barbara County as a result of the two major brush fires burning in the region.
The Whittier Fire, which started near Lake Cachuma Saturday afternoon, has burned about 7800 acres of land, and led to 3500 evacuations.
The fire prompted mandatory evacuations at Lake Cachuma, for the area from Armour Ranch Road to Paradise Road, for West Camino Cielo from the Winchester Gun Club east to Highway 154, and for the Farren Road area west of Winchester Canyon.
An evacuation warning was issued for Las Varas Canyon east to Winchester Canyon, and from Highway 101 north to West Camino Cielo.
Highway 154 remains closed from the Santa Barbara area to Highway 246 in the Santa Ynez Valley, and officials say they expect that closure to remain in effect for the next few days. The fire has destroyed about 20 structures, with most believed to be at summer camps, and around the Lake Cachuma campground and dock areas.
The Alamo Fire, which is northeast of Santa Maria near Twitchell Reservoir, has charred 24,000 acres, and forced about 200 evacuations.
The fire, which began Thursday afternoon, led to evacuation orders for the Blazing Saddles, Pine Canyon, Buckhorn Ridge, Colson, and White Rock Road areas, as well as from Tepusquet to Santa Maria Mesa Road. The fire is burning in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, and has closed Highway 166 from Santa Maria to New Cuyama since Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters say heat and wind created extreme fire conditions for both blazes, but say cooling temperatures and an onshore flow are giving them a break.
