Wildfire in Santa Barbara County Prompts LA County Smoke Warning

Wildfire in Santa Barbara County Prompts Los Angeles County Smoke Warning

Zaca Fire smoke has in recent days hit Los Angeles suburbs.

Last Edited: Saturday, 18 Aug 2007, 9:36 PM PDT

Created: Saturday, 18 Aug 2007, 9:36 PM PDT

A massive wildfire burns in Los Padres National Forest near New Cuyama, Calif., Monday, Aug. 13, 2007.

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Los Angeles --

Smoke from a massive wildfire that has been chewing through uninhabited and rugged mountains in Santa Barbara County for five weeks has triggered smoke warnings for people in northern Los Angeles County over the weekend.

The Zaca Fire's closest flank is about 50 miles west of Santa Clarita, but smoke from the fire has in recent days hit Los Angeles suburbs. Smog officials warned people on Friday to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities this weekend in the western San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita and the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Zaca Fire has burned more than 155,000 acres of extremely-rugged, roadless terrain since it was sparked by a field worker northeast of Solvang on July 4. The area is so remote that firefighters do not hope to be able to contain it until at least Sept. 7.

Ventura County smog officials said they are closely monitoring the air situation in Ojai, 22 miles downwind of the fire. Officials there reported heavy smoke was mostly staying about 2,000 feet above the Ojai valley, which is surrounded by mountains on all sides and has only three roads out.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District predicted that the brunt of the smoke would stay several thousand feet above the Los Angeles area, but predicted possible short-term concentrations of smoke at ground level.

The smog forecast predicts ozone and particulate levels in the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups levels across the northern part of the county, which is not unusual for this time of year due to normally-high ozone levels. Particulate matter levels, however, had the potential to be much higher than usual, AQMD said.

Prior to this week, the smoke and ash had been blowing to the northeast, causing health advisories to be issued in Bakersfield, Mammoth Lakes and Reno, Nevada. But a shift in lower-atmosphere winds has sent the smoke easterly into the Los Angeles air basin this week.

On the fire front itself, backfires being set along the Santa Barbara-Ventura county line, west of state Highway 33, were intended to rob the Zaca Fire of forward momentum towards Ojai, firefighters said. But low fog had prevented backfire operations yesterday, and the fire jumped a fire line at one spot south of New Cuyama.

Highway 33 between Ojai and New Cuyama was again closed at times yesterday near Matilija Canton due to heavy smoke on the road.

In Ojai, the air was thick and residents worried, and the police department was readying a plan for voluntary evacuations should winds blow the fire their direction.