Sherpa Wildfire Prompts Evacuations in Santa Barbara

Firefighters from the Lompoc City Fire Department take shelter behind their engine Thursday, June 16, 2016, as wind driven flames advance from the Sherpa Fire. The flames were crossing Calle Real near El Capitan State Park in Santa Barbara County. Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP

The fire that forced evacuations from homes in Santa Barbara County, California, is about 5 percent contained and has spread to 4,000 acres overnight as of Friday, June 17.

About 270 structures, including houses, are currently threatened, according to CAL Fire public information officer Daniel Berlant. One structure has been destroyed in the fire.

The cause of the Sherpa Fire, as it has been named, is under investigation, fire officials said. Officials said that the fire closed Highway 101 on Thursday night to Friday morning.

“Firefighters will continue work on building and reinforcing containment lines along” the northern and eastern sides of the fire and along Highway 101, a critical artery in Southern California. About 1,230 firefighters are assigned to the fire.

In this image made from video, a wildfire burns in a remote coastal area west of Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, June 16, 2016. ]KABC-7 via AP