Update: Evacuated Residents of Lookout Fire Return Home

SANTA BARBARA – UPDATE – County Fire Captain David Sadecki reports the Lookout fire is 45% contained as of 11pm Wednesday night. Roughly 150 fire crews will be working throughout the night, monitoring any flare ups. There’s also a water dropping helicopter on stand-by. But the conditions are calm. The winds have cooperated. At five o’clock the Sheriff’s department lifted the mandatory evacuation orders for the Painted Cave Community. Only residents are able to return to the area at this time. At last estimate, the wildfire was holding at 20-25 acres. The fire is burning off Highway 154 at Painted Cave, the site of a devastating wildfire back in June of 1990. Sadecki has confirmed the cause of the fire is “under investigation.” Initial reports that the fire was sparked by downed power lines in the area were dismissed just hours after the blaze broke out.40 homes were under an evacuation order in Painted Cave; residents in the nearby Trout Club are on standby. A daytime evacuation area is set up at The Wake Center at 300 N. Turnpike and Calle Real.No structures have been burned or damaged. One firefighter suffered a minor leg injury earlier in the day.Resources assigned to the fire include 8 air tankers, 4 helicopters, 16 engines, 4 water tenders, 4 dozers, 4 hand crews with 4 additional crews ordered.The Lookout fire broke out on a large hillside just before 8:00 am Wednesday morning. Santa Barbara City and County Fire crews, and the Search and Rescue fire copter were deployed within minutes. Also assisting in the firefight is the U-S Forest Service, which is in command of this incident, since the fire is burning in the Los Padres National Forest, as well as Montecito Fire, Vandenberg, Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.KEY News Reporter Shirin Rajaee reports.