Update — 4:37 p.m.:
More than 300 fire-fighting personnel are on the scene of the fire in Santa Margarita, and more time and personnel will be needed, CalFire Public Information Officer Tina Rose said.
“This is going to be a few days for us to fully extinguish this fire,” Rose said.
So far though, no one has been injured and no structures have been damaged, Rose said.
Fire investigators are already on the scene, though the cause of the fire could take more time to determine, Rose said.
Update — 4:17 p.m.:
The fire burning in Santa Margarita has reached 750 acres, with 0 percent containment, according to the latest CalFire press release.
CalFire and San Luis Obispo County Fire Department are both fighting the blaze, with the help of 14 fire engines, two helicopters and seven hand crews, as well as other resources. They have enacted a mandatory evacuation for homes on Parkhill Road between Highway 58 and Seven Oaks Road, according to the release.
But for residents in the area, the flames were too close for comfort, said Cheryl Westfall, who evacuated her house on Parkhill Road along with her husband and four dogs.
“We just started grabbing stuff,” Westfall said. “We saw the flames right next door.”
Firefighters put up yellow tape around the neighborhood to indicate the evacuation, and officers were yelling for residents to get out as quickly as possible, Westfall said.
Though this isn’t the first fire Westfall has seen living east of Santa Margarita, it is certainly the most frightening, she said.
“This one seems gnarlier because it’s coming down our side,” Westfall said.
Currently Westfall, like others who live east of Santa Margarita, is just trying to plan her next move, she said.
“Hopefully, hopefully our house doesn’t burn down,” Westfall said.
Original Post — 3:03 p.m.
CalFire and the San Luis Obispo Fire Department are on the scene of a 500-acre fire in Santa Margarita, according to a Cal Fire press release.
Currently, there are 14 fire engines, seven hand crews, five command personnel, four air tankers, three bulldozers, two water tenders, two helicopters and one air attack plane at the scene, according to the release.
Voluntary evacuation warnings have been issued for homes in between Highway 58 and Parkhill Road as of this time.
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