Small vegetation fire sparks in same vicinity as earlier Orcutt homeless encampment fire

ORCUTT, Calif. – A nearly half-acre vegetation fire near Orcutt sparked late Wednesday morning in the same vicinity as a previous homeless encampment fire reported early Wednesday morning, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The second fire was reported just after 11:45 a.m. along Hummel Drive and Union Valley Parkway near Orcutt, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck.

The flames were still surrounded by the previous dozer lines from fire crews' response to the early morning homeless encampment fire, Safechuck said, adding that he was confident that that would help the flames from spreading further. The fire burned in pampas grass and willow.

The fire grew to about a half of an acre as of 12:40 p.m. when forward progress was stopped, Safechuck said. Crews remain on-scene for mop-up.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

The first fire was reported in the same area just before 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday.