Fire in Santa Barbara County grows due to hot, dry conditions

Before it gets even hotter, firefighters in Santa Barbara County, California, are racing to contain the so-called Sherpa fire.

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, the fire, spread across more than 7,000 acres, was 45 percent contained, Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni told the Los Angeles Times. More than 2,000 personnel are fighting the blaze. Starting Sunday afternoon through Tuesday, the area is under a red-flag warning, with officials bracing for extremely hot temperatures, low humidity, and gusty sundowner winds. So far, just one structure has burned down, and a campground was saved.

The fire began Wednesday afternoon, and the flames spread quickly through chaparral, tall grass, and brush in an area that hasn't seen a major fire since 1955. Many residents have evacuated because of the smoke in the air, and two firefighters have sustained minor injuries while fighting the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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