Contributing Factors and Fire Spread Conditions
Although the exact ignition sources remain under investigation, fire authorities have identified multiple contributing factors that fueled the fires’ rapid spread. According to meteorological analyses and wildfire assessments published by The Guardian, ABC7 Los Angeles, and the New York Post, these include:
. Extremely low humidity levels
. Prolonged drought conditions in the region
Notably, the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which provides over 117 million gallons of water for fire suppression in the hills, was critically low at the time. This water shortage created significant pressure issues in local hydrants and reduced the firefighting capacity during the initial hours of the outbreak.
