Accidental Sherpa Fire Burns 7,474 Acres on Gaviota Coast, Driven by Sundowner Winds

• Acreage: 7,474
• Ignition: June 15, 2016, at approximately 3:29 p.m.; Accidental, caused by embers from a fireplace log placed outdoors.
• Containment: July 12, 2016
• Structures Destroyed: 1 (water treatment plant)
• Injuries/Fatalities: 9 non-fatal injuries / 0 fatalities
• Lead Agency: Unified Command (U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Santa Barbara County Fire)

The Sherpa Fire ignited on June 15, 2016, in Refugio Canyon after embers from a discarded fireplace log were spread by wind. Fueled by powerful "Sundowner" winds, the blaze burned 7,474 acres of coastal chaparral along the Gaviota Coast. The fire forced the intermittent closure of Highway 101, a critical transportation route, and the evacuation of state parks and canyons, though firefighters successfully protected all residential homes.

The fire began at Rancho La Scherpa when a resident moved a burning log from an indoor fireplace outside, where strong winds blew hot embers into dry grass. The blaze was immediately driven by powerful downslope "Sundowner" winds, with gusts reaching 49 mph, causing rapid fire spread through steep, roadless terrain that had not seen a major fire since 1955. The fire's name was officially misspelled as "Sherpa" in early dispatches and was not corrected to avoid confusion during the incident.

A large, multi-agency response involving a peak of 2,178 personnel was mobilized to combat the flames. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Refugio, Venadito, and Las Flores canyons, as well as for campers at Refugio and El Capitán State Beaches. Firefighters successfully prevented the fire from destroying any homes, but the blaze forced intermittent closures of both Highway 101 and the adjacent Union Pacific rail lines, disrupting major transportation corridors.

The fire's primary structural loss was a water treatment facility at El Capitán State Beach. The total cost of firefighting efforts exceeded $16 million, with an additional $3 million in agricultural losses reported. The denuded landscape left by the fire contributed to a post-fire hazard; in January 2017, heavy rains on the burn scar triggered debris flows that caused significant damage to the El Capitan Canyon Resort.