Jackson Friedman

The 500 block of lower State Street is closed this morning after a stabbing was reported around 4 a.m. on Friday, the day set for Santa Barbara's historical Fiesta horse parade. The bars and restaurants on that block would have been closed at that early hour, but media reports state multiple people were stabbed, leaving trails of blood behind. Attempts to reach the Santa Barbara Police for details were unsuccessful. This story will be updated as information is released.

Fast-Burning Wildfire Explodes to More than 23,000 Acres East of Santa Maria Gifford Fire Burning on Both Sides of Highway 166; Evacuations Ordered for Parts of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties The Gifford Fire started along Highway 166 east of Santa Maria on Friday, August 1. | Credit: PG&E A fast-growing wildfire burning on both sides of Highway 166 about 30 miles east of Santa Maria has exploded to more than 23,500 acres in less than 24 hours. As of Saturday morning, the fire is at 5 percent containment and has triggered evacuations in parts of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The Gifford Fire, as the fire has been named, started Friday shortly before 2 p.m. near Gifford Trailhead as a series of four smaller, separate blazes along the rural highway, according to Los Padres Forest Service officials. While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the California Highway Patrol reports the fire was possibly started by a motorist driving on a rim with a flat tire that was throwing off sparks. According to CHP, Highway 166 is closed in both directions from Highway 101 near Santa Maria to Highway 33 until further notice. This is the second time in recent weeks that the highway has been shut down due a wildfire. Just four days before the Gifford Fire ignited, Los Padres Forest Service announced firefighters had reached full containment on the Madre Fire , which had shut down the highway for nearly a week in the beginning of July. The Madre Fire started on July 2 along Highway 166 not far from where the Gifford Fire is now burning and quickly grew to more than 80,000 acres, becoming California's largest wildfire of the year. The Gifford Fire is currently burning northeast toward the Madre Fire burn scar and south toward the Sierra Madre range, Los Padres Forest Service stated. Ground and air resources are actively suppressing the fire, which is burning within Los Padres National Forest, with additional resources on order, according to the latest status report from Cal Fire's InciWeb page Evacuations have been ordered for the area south of Highway 166, east of Willow Springs trailhead, and west of Cottonwood Canyon Road, according to Santa Barbara County's Office of Emergency Management. Evacuations orders and warning have also been issued for areas north of Highway 166 in San Luis Obispo County. For the latest evacuation information and maps, see and While the fire is currently burning far north of this weekend's Fiesta festivities , the significant amount of smoke being produced by the fire has triggered an Air Quality Watch for all of Santa Barbara County, as well as an Air Quality Alert for the Cuyama, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and County of Santa Barbara Health Department announced on Saturday. The alert and watch will remain in effect until conditions improve. “Everyone, especially people with heart or lung conditions, older adults, pregnant women, and children, should limit time spent outdoors and avoid outdoor exercise when high concentrations of smoke and particles are in the air,” the alert warns.

The person fell from a patio on the 6500 block of Del Playa Drive on Saturday night.

The Sheriff's Office is asking the public to avoid the area at this time.

Our associate editor shares his favorite stories of the year.

Heavy rain Saturday morning prompted a flash flood warning for parts of Santa Barbara County, including Goleta, Lompoc, Solvang, and the Gaviota

Santa Barbara Airport has temporarily closed and grounded all flights due to flooding on the runway on Saturday afternoon.

Photos from the latest in a series of storms that have soaked the region this rainy season.

USGS Asks Residents to Fill Out Its ‘Did You Feel It' Survey Following Friday's Splashdown