Zaca Fire Spreads to Ventura County

The Zaca Fire continued to burn in Santa Barbara County’s backcountry this week, spreading into Ventura County. Though extensive back-firing operations along the blaze’s southern border proved fundamental in sparing Montecito and Santa Barbara, similar operations along the northeastern edge were less effective, forcing officials to close portions of Highway 33 and issue precautionary evacuations for residents west of the highway.