of Fire on the Lake The Santa Barbara County fire, California's largest so far this year, has grown to 37,742 acres, but firefighters are working to contain the blaze around the Santa Ynez and Los Olivos areas, where properties are at risk.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Scott Safechuck said Saturday morning that more than 3,400 personnel were working around the clock to battle the fire, and that the blaze was about 20 percent contained by Saturday morning.

Safechuck said firefighters have made a “visible difference” on the south side of the fire, where flames were previously visible from the Santa Ynez and Cachuma Lake areas.

Unusually hot temperatures overnight last week increased the risk of fires, but firefighters had some success fighting the blazes by conducting controlled burns of dried vegetation overnight and dropping water from helicopters. Safechuck said the coordinated effort “has been very helpful in eliminating much of the threat on the south side.”

“This is really good for the safety of the area because that's where a lot of the buildings were at risk,” he said. “We're making big improvements in that area.”

More than 20 helicopters were dispatched to the fire on Friday, Safechuck said.

“We have extensive air support here that is playing a vital role in working with our ground resources to fight this fire,” he said.

Responding to wildfires in the backcountry can be a little tricky due to the wilderness and difficult terrain, so firefighters have resorted to covering buildings with materials like aluminum foil to protect them from the flames.

The fire broke out on July 5, and the cause is still under investigation.

Cal Fire reported Friday afternoon that an evacuation warning had been upgraded to an order for the area of ​​KP Ranch west of Alisos Road, including Estelle Vineyard Drive, Santa Agueda Creek and parts of Brinkerhoff Avenue.

Other areas under evacuation orders are:

• The area east of La Brea Creek and Forest Road 10N06, south of the Los Padres National Forest boundary and north of the Sisquoc River.
• Woodstock (the area north of Calzada Avenue, east of East Oak Trail Road, west of Happy Canyon and south of the Sisquoc River).
• Goat Rock area, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the U.S. Forest Service entrance on Happy Canyon Road, and south of Cachuma Mountain.
• Parts of the Figueroa Mountain area: south of the Tunnel House on the Sisquoc River, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the southern tip of Cachuma Mountain, and west of the Los Padres National Forest area.

• All areas from Figueroa Mountain Road (including Tunnel Road) in Junction Camp to Chamberlin Ranch and all areas from Zaca Lake Road at Foxen Canyon Road north to the Sisquoc River.

  Evacuation advisories have been issued for the following areas, meaning people should prepare to evacuate, but it is not mandatory.

• The area is east of Kelly Canyon, north of the Sisquoc River, west of La Brea Creek and Forest Road 10N06, and south of Los Padres National Forest.
• The area begins at the south end of Cachuma Creek, runs northeast from Santa Cruz Creek to Santa Cruz Peak, and west through Grand Spring to the northern part of Cachuma Creek.
• Areas east and north of Alisos Road (the L-shaped road), west of Cachuma Creek, and south of the U.S. Forest Service entrance on Happy Canyon Road.
• The area is east of Highway 154, north of Armour Ranch Road/Secretariat Street, west of Alisos Road and south of the Woodstock and KP Ranch areas.
• The area from Zaca Creek Road north to Rancho Sisquoc to south of the Sisquoc River.
• The area is east of Figueroa Mountain Road, north of Highway 154, west of Calzada Avenue/West Oak Trail Road and south of Woodstock Road.

No evacuation warnings have been issued for Highway 154 and it remains open, according to Cal Fire.

Safechuck said the arrival of a new monsoon-like weather pattern in the region could bring dry lightning that could spark new fires.

California's fire season is already off to an unprecedented start, with extreme heat and other weather conditions plaguing the state. 3,600 fires More than 100 fires have been reported so far this year, burning 228,756 acres. Human remains were found in a building that burned on Monday in the Mina Fire near Covelo, and one death has been recorded so far, according to officials.