Firefighters responded Thursday evening to a fire at the Tajiguas Landfill on the Gaviota Coast.
The fire, reported at 6:20 p.m., was being fanned by strong winds and was spreading rapidly, according to Mike Eliason, a spokesman with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The initial size-up was 2 to 3 acres charred, with the potential for 50 acres.
The blaze started with a piece of machinery and spread to a very large pile of mulch and recyclables, Eliason said.
It also spread to nearby vegetation, and crews were checking for spot fires. The fire burned about half an acre of mulch and recyclables, and about an acre and a half of vegetation, Eliason said. Crews on the scene indicated that heavy equipment and a large supply of water would be needed to douse the flames, according to emergency radio traffic.
The county’s Firehawk helicopter was dispatched to help battle the fire.