Lake Lopez residents and visitors heard helicopters, fire trucks, and emergency response crews racing to contain a brush fire burning off Hi Mountain Road near Lopez Lake on Monday afternoon.
"It's just something we're used to nowadays," said camper, Robert Greer.
The fire was reported just after 3:30 p.m. and is burning part of the Los Padres National Forest.
"Well, it was fine earlier," said Greer.
Given these dry conditions, a wildfire can start at any moment.
"...and when I came back like six hours later I saw like a big truck unloading a dozer, and I knew something was going on," said Greer.
Jim Thomas lives near where the fire burned.
"I just got home from work, got a couple calls that there was a fire up on the hill, and then came out and took my dirtbike and drove up to the top of the hill and then saw the top of the hill was on fire," said resident Jim Thomas.
Though the cause of this fire has not been determined, this man blames others for recent fires.
"It's so dry and we don't have water, and people are careless," said Greer.
Though he does not think it is intentional, he shares just how easy it can be to accidentally spark a flame.
"Some people don't have spark arrestors on their chainsaws or they're dragging chains when they've got a trailer. It's probably people-caused, but I don't think it's arson or anything. It's just people are careless," said Greer.
We reached out to Los Padres National Forest and CAL FIRE but did not receive a response.
