Southern California

Fire Destroys Homes and Sparks Evacuations in Goleta

Mandatory evacuations were in place Saturday as a brush fire destroyed homes in Goleta during a Southern California heatwave.

Firefighters responded to the blaze, dubbed the Holiday Fire, Friday night in the 1500 block of Holiday Hill Road. As a result of the blaze, Santa Barbara County declared a local state of emergency, effective for an initial period of seven days.

[LA GALLERY] PHOTOS: 'Holiday Fire' Ravages Goleta

Some twenty structures had been burned or destroyed as of around 7:45 a.m. Saturday, and mandatory evacuations were underway for around 3,200 residents as the fire scorched some 50 to 80 acres, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

"The Holiday Fire is causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the County of Santa Barbara," the county said in a news release. "These conditions are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the combined forces of Santa Barbara County Operational Area to combat."

Officials with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management said that any residents on the mountain side of Cathedral Oaks should evacuate immediately downhill and away from the area as a precaution.

Firefighters made progress Saturday on the Holiday Fire in Goleta. Jane Yamamoto reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m.

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The Santa Barbara Fire Department held a press conference on Saturday at 4 p.m. and announced that 80 percent of the fire had been contained and that there were no fatalities and no serious injuries due to the blaze. In addition, mandatory evacuation zones were expected to be reduced as of 5 p.m.

A Red Cross center was opened at Goleta Valley Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave.

For more information, go to the county's website.

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