Evacuation warnings lifted as forward progress of More Mesa Mockingbird fire is stopped
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Firefighters responded to multiple fires Friday morning near More Mesa in the Goleta Valley.
It happened just before 11 a.m. near the intersection of Mockingbird Lane and Calle Las Brisas on the ocean side of Hollister Ave..
The fires burned in heavy grass and pushed by onshore winds toward houses. Near homes there was heavier vegetation, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Daniel Bertucelli.
A resident, Elsie Wilson, looked over the burning field and said, "this one is suspicious to me."
Nearby fire engines were charging in to assist the county crews. Regional resources came in from Santa Barbara City, Montecito, and the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire protection district.
Bertucelli said a strong response kept the fire from getting established or damaging structures.
An evacuation warning was issued early on.
Others stayed, when they saw the flames going away from their homes.
Mike Bonson said, "I looked down the driveway heard all the crackling and seen this one here and then noticed the big on down to the left and then small one in the trees but I think they got that one out already."
Wilson said, "we used to have them frequently when they allowed motorcycles (in the field) but when they stopped that we haven't seen fire for quite awhile."
The main fire issues were in the area of Mockingbird Lane and Calle Las Brisas.
As fire crews were battling the flames which sent a frightening clouds of smoke over this neighborhood, horse owners starting making their move on foot to get their animals out.
One woman evacuating a horse said, "we are trying to walk down to this barn down until we can get trailers here, there's four here, but there's more back there."
A helicopter made several drops on the head of the fire in a coordinated attack. "The division down below is telling that helicopter pilot where to make a drop and that helicopter pilot is making a drop to assist the ground crews and then go and reload, " said Bertucelli.
Hand crews spent hours spraying down all the hot spots and making sure there would be no flare ups in the large field of dry grass.
The cause is under investigation.
The fire is estimated to have burned five to seven acres with potential to burn 10 acres.
Evacuation warnings were lifted at around 1 p.m.
