The cave fire started over mountains of Santa Barbara County, was 10 percent contained by Tuesday evening, 26 November, and officials said about 2,400 homes and other buildings remained threatened. The blaze, now burning at least 4,200 acres, was at zero containment.
The bush fire started late Monday, moved downhill and forced mandatory evacuations, threatening homes in the vicinity.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Warning for Santa Barbara County.
The blaze had blackened more than 6.5 square miles (16.8 square kilometers) of the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains, but most of that acreage was scorched in its first hours on Monday.
Incoming rain and a cold front may improve efforts to battle the blaze, local media reported. The Santa Barbara County fire department said 600 firefighters were working to control the blaze, adding that no homes were destroyed and no people were injured.
(With Inputs from AP)
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