Edhat Staff
Update by edhat staff
11:00 a.m., June 6, 2022
The fire is 100% contained and crews continue to root out stubborn hot spots in the interior areas of dense vegetation, reports the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
All evacuations have been lifted. The cause is actively under investigation.
Burnt furniture sits at or near the point of origin of the Bridge fire in Santa Barbara County. 7.9 acres were on fire Sunday night, near homes and Hwy 154 in light grass and moderate winds. The cause is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/jvNicgFeG6
— John Palminteri (@JohnPalminteri) June 6, 2022
Update by Santa Barbara County Fire Department
10:00 p.m., June 5, 2022
Incident Command reports through the use of infrared mapping, the fire charred 8.19 acres. There have been no reported injuries and no damage to structures. The cause remains under investigation, although deemed suspicious.
Update by edhat staff
8:45 p.m., June 5, 2022
Forward progress has been stopped in the brush fire near Bridge to Nowhere off Cathedral Oaks and Highway 154. Evacuations remain in place for the time being.
At 6:53 p.m., firefighters responded to a fire burning off Via Gaitero and dubbed the incident “Bridge Fire.” Incident Command reported wind pushed fire a half-acre burning downhill in the grass with the potential for ten acres.
Helicopter 964 responded and made water drops on flames in hot spots near Cathedral Oaks and Highway 154. The Sheriff’s Office ordered an evacuation order in the area of Cieneguitas Road and Calle Caridad, west of Winther Way, and north of Foothill Road. Residents are advised to leave immediately.
Around 8:30 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters reported the forward progress of the Bridge Fire had stopped.
As of 9:00 o.m., the Santa Barbara County Fire Department reported the fire is 75% contained with mandatory evacuation orders lifted. The evacuation warning will remain in place until 12:00 a.m.
This is a developing story.
Photo: SBCFD
#BridgeFire – UPDATE- SBCASU Copter 964 makes a water drop on flames near Cathedral Oaks & Hwy 154. pic.twitter.com/qAS3Uu8frE
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) June 6, 2022
By Scanner Andrew
7:03 p.m., June 5, 2022
County firefighters are on scene of a vegetation fire near Salvar Road and Via Gaitero.
Anyone shocked to hear that right there is a homeless encampment…?
I’m staring at the fire right now from up above… it’s right around where a handful of tents have been set up for the last year.
Please, everyone reading, save your unrelated comments for later so this thread is easy to read info-only for those nearby. Thank you.
Heard a few conjectures about kids lighting a mattress on fire. Dropping it off in a white mustang. Really?
I drive by 154/foothill a couple days a week, and it’s pretty obvious there’s been a homeless encampment up in there for at least a few months. Every time I go by I see ditched shopping carts, blue tarps, random garbage/belongings left behind. The usual songs we all recognize, unless you’re clueless. All of it has been sitting right to the west of the SCE substation there. Right at the entrance to the pass.
I’ll bet that this was another homeless fire, not some sort of prank/arson by young people, unless you’re saying they were out to toast the encampment specifically. So far no one knows, but that’s my take.
There has been a homeless setup with 2-3 tents (at the exact spot of the fire) for over 2 years. Here’s me referencing it on a thread in March of 2021:
https://www.edhat.com/news/grassroots-activists-raise-186m-to-save-san-marcos-foothills-from-development
We can wait for the investigation results, and my money’s on a homeless fire.
Well let’s see who if anyone will be held accountable for this near disaster. I’ll gladly eat my words for blaming a homeless encampment if it turns out a few kids pulled a moronic stunt instead. And if so, they should be punished severely. I think it’s called a arson right?