At 8 a.m., as I arrived near the top of the Cold Springs Trail, there were dozens of engine crews on scene. Fire personnel were setting up hose lines, cutting hand line, and assessing conditions. The wind was wicked, gusting to 30 mph, blowing in every which direction — and given the steep topography, drought conditions, and difficult access — it appeared that Santa Barbara might be in for another huge wildfire.
The fire’s origin appeared to be just north of Montecito Peak and close to Cold Springs Trail, perhaps a mile down the trail from the crest of the Santa Ynez Mountains and just up trail from the steep path leading to the top of Montecito Peak. While fire officials say that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, given the lack of other sources it is almost certainly human caused.
Those who were up early enough to see the fire noted that it burned uphill quickly, with flames in the 30-foot range or higher until it reached the ridge separating Cold Springs and San Ysidro Canyons. It then slopped over into the San Yisdro drainage and began burning uphill towards the crest, at one point coming within several hundred yards of East Camino Cielo Road.