Cruces Fire south of Lompoc burns 80 acres, 40% contained

UPDATE (5:55 a.m.)-  Santa Barbara County Fire officials say the fire, which broke out just before noon Wednesday on Highway 1 between Lompoc and Gaviota, has burned 80 acres and is 40 percent contained.

Fire officials say they expect to have full containment by 6 p.m. Thursday night.

UPDATE (7:35 p.m.) – Caltrans says Highway 1 is back open between highways 246 and 101. Only one lane is open in each direction.

Expect one northbound lane to remain closed through Thursday evening.

UPDATE (4:25 p.m.) – Fire officials say the fire, which broke out just before noon Wednesday on Highway 1 between Lompoc and Gaviota, has burned 170 acres and is 20 percent contained.

UPDATE (3:50 p.m.) – The mandatory evacuation order for the 7200 block of Highway 1 has been reduced to a warning.

UPDATE (3:25 p.m.) – Santa Barbara County Fire officials say firefighters are making good progress on the fire. 

A KSBY crew at the scene says there is only minimal smoke in the area.

UPDATE (2:25 p.m.) – Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s officials say an evacuation notice sent to people in the Hollister Ranch, Cojo Ranch and Gaviota Beach areas was a warning. Approximately 268 phone lines were contacted in that area. That warning has since been canceled.

A mandatory evacuation order was sent to about 100 phone lines in the area along Highway 1 from Highway 101 to El Jaro Creek.

UPDATE (1:20 p.m.) – Santa Barbara County Fire officials say the Cruces Fire has burned 150 acres.

Capt. Dave Zaniboni says no homes are immediately threatened but evacuations were ordered in the 7200 block of Highway 1. An emergency alert message sent out earlier advising residents in the Hollister Ranch, Cojo and Gaviota Beach areas to evacuate was reportedly not related to this fire. 

Zaniboni says firefighters are dealing with shifty winds. The fire is currently headed in a northerly direction and that is the area fire crews are focusing on because the north side of the fire has no fuel breaks.

There are approximately 150 firefighters on the scene.

A brush fire caused the closure of Highway 1 south of Lompoc on Wednesday.

The fire was reported shortly before noon three miles west of the intersection with Highway 101. 

The California Highway Patrol reported heavy smoke in the area requiring traffic to be stopped between Highway 246 and the 101.

Firefighters say the fire is burning in medium to heavy brush at a rapid rate of spread. Multiple resources, including air tankers from the Paso Robles Airport, have been called in to assist.

This is a developing story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available.