Photo: Steve Gregory / KFI Radio
Update by edhat staff
Amtrak closed the railroad for several hours due to a brush fire near the tracks in Gaviota on Thursday afternoon.
At 1:35 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to Highway 101 southbound, approximately one mile south of Mariposa Reina Road for a reported fire. When crews arrived they discovered an active fire near the railroad tracks prompting a shutdown of the rail line.
Firefighters contained the fire between 5 to 6 acres with help from a water tender, helicopter, and two CalFire crews.
The cause is under investigation.
Brush fire along Highway 101 at Gaviota Beach near the southbound lanes and railroad tracks.
According to my secret source it is a big fire that was possibly caused by an Amtrak train…
I’m not familiar with that area, do you know how far from the 101 the fire was? I ask, because I still see people flicking cigarettes out of their car windows on freeways, among other places.