Lake Fire becomes California's largest wildfire this year as Vista Fire keeps growing

Two wildfires in Southern California continue to keep evacuation orders in place and spread further — the massive Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County and the Vista Fire about 200 miles away near Mt. Baldy.

As the state's largest wildfire so far this year, the Lake Fire quickly scorched more than 20,000 acres over the weekend after it broke out the afternoon of July 5 in a northern area of the county near Santa Maria. Firefighters have worked to keep it from reaching communities and homes further south, including Michael Jackson's famed Neverland Ranch, which is about 30 miles from where it started. Despite some progress, it's burned another 10,000 acres since Monday and continues to move closer to more populated areas in California's Santa Ynez Valley.

It's now estimated to be just 8 to 9 miles from Los Olivos, the quaint wine town that's home to Neverland and was once heralded by Vogue as "the new Napa." Local authorities expanded evacuation orders and warnings this week.

As of Thursday morning, it's estimated to be 34,015 acres and just 16% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Further south, in San Bernardino County, the much smaller Vista Fire has remained 0% contained since it started the morning of July 7. It triggered evacuations of Mt. Baldy ski resort and nearby hiking trails, which remain in place as of Thursday morning — when the wildfire stood at 2,700 acres, according to San Bernardino National Forest, the agency which has been recording its progress.

Lake Fire now California's largest wildfire this year

On July 5, the Lake Fire was first reported around 3:45 p.m. near Zaca Lake and Saint Lucia Road and firefighters had to grapple with harsh, fire-prone weather as they battled it. They dealt with exceedingly dry conditions amid an intense heat wave felt across most of Southern California as the inland region saw temperatures in the triple digits.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued the following day. Firefighters have been making water drops with helicopters, which Cal Fire officials say has stopped the blaze from making significant growth. While there's been progress, weather conditions continue to complicate firefighters' efforts.

The Santa Barbara County mountains were under a fire weather watch from Tuesday afternoon through the evening, according to the National Weather Service, which warned of "gusty winds, hot and dry conditions, and dry vegetation."

Over Tuesday night, the wildfire continued to burn and move closer to Los Olivos and other more populated areas, leading to more evacuations. In the days since, local authorities have expanded evacuation orders and warnings.

About 2,166 people are in evacuated areas or have been warned that they may need to evacuate soon, Cal Fire officials said Thursday.

Images of the massive blaze show skies lit up in a glowing orange hue and thick clouds of smoke wafting through mountain areas.

When the wildfire surpassed 20,000 acres Monday morning, it became the state's largest wildfire so far this year. The Sites Fire in Colusa County is the second-largest blaze of 2024 after burning 19,195 acres in June, according to Cal Fire.

As of Thursday morning, six structures have been damaged and four injuries reported, among them firefighters.

A searchable map showing the the latest closures and evacuations can be found here. American Red Cross closed a shelter it previously opened for this affected but the Santa Barbara Independent has a list of local hotels offering discounts for local residents needing to leave their homes.

The latest available emergency resources and updates can be found here and you can sign up for ongoing alerts here.

Vista Fire keeps Mt. Baldy ski resort evacuated

The Vista Fire was reported about 9:51 a.m. on July 7 near the Stockton Flats and Lytle Creek area in the San Bernardino National Forest. By the following morning, it was 115 acres before burning nearly 600 acres by that evening.

Four days after the fire broke out, on Thursday, it reached 2,700 acres with still 0% containment.

Officials with San Bernardino National Forest said firefighting crews would work overnight, using aircraft and other equipment to tackle the blaze as it tore through steep terrain amid dry conditions.

"Hot and dry weather will continue for the area throughout the week," forest officials said in an update Tuesday, warning of low humidity levels and wind gusts that could lead to growth of the blaze and complicate firefighting efforts. 

As of Thursday morning, the Mt. Baldy ski resort remains evacuated and parts of the Pacific Crest Trail are still closed from the Lytle Creek area to Mt. Baldy, along with other local trails. 

Later in the evening Thursday, local authorities planned to hold a community meeting for Lytle Creek residents. Fire officials have said as high heat and low humidity continue to drive the blaze forward among other complications.

"The complex terrain, hot weather and winds, combined with hazards such as falling dead trees and rolling material, make control of this fire a challenge," Operations Section Chief Scott Grasmick said in a statement Thursday from San Bernardino National Forest.

A full list of the latest road closures and evacuation orders and warnings can be found here.