Vegetation Fire Breaks Out Thursday off Highway 1 in Lompoc Area

Santa Barbara County Fire Department responds to the Sun Fire Incident near Lompoc on Thursday, November 9, 2023. | Credit: Scott Safechuck/Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Sun Fire Incident near Lompoc on November 9, 2023 | Courtesy PG&E

[Update: Fri., Nov. 10, 9:15am] The Sun Fire Incident off Highway 1 southeast of Lompoc near the Sunburst Sanctuary remained at just more than 200 acres and was 20 percent contained as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire’s incident page and County Fire spokesperson Captain Scott Safechuck. Today is expected to be windy with low humidity, and about 100 firefighters from County Fire and Cal Fire remain assigned to the fire to strengthen and improve containment lines, Safechuck said.

[Original story] Santa Barbara County Fire Department is responding to a vegetation fire that broke out Thursday afternoon near the Sunburst Farm & Sanctuary off Highway 1 in the Lompoc area.

According to County Fire spokesperson Captain Scott Safechuck, the fire started around 12:15 p.m. near the 7200 block of Highway 1 and was first reported at around five acres and was spreading at a moderate rate in cut grass. As of 1:50 p.m., the second-alarm fire had spread to 200 acres and been named the Sun Fire Incident.

In addition to ground crews, six fixed-wing tankers and two helicopters were on scene, attacking the fire from the air. As of 2 p.m., no structures were threatened by the fire, Safechuck said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.