Update: Plant Fire grows to 5,500 acres, closes stretch of Highway 166

Update, 6:15 p.m.:

The Plant Fire reached approximately 5,500 acres Saturday evening, according to the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services.

Crews were still on scene.

Smoke could be visible across San Luis Obispo County due to the size of the blaze, the Office of Emergency Services said.

Original story:

A fire said to be between 300 and 400 acres on Saturday afternoon closed Highway 166 between Highway 101 and New Cuyama in Santa Barbara County.

The fire was expected to grow, Santa Barbara Fire public information officer Scott Safechuck tweeted.

Traffic appeared to be moderate along a small stretch of Cuyama Highway in both directions, the California Highway Patrol Quickmap showed.

A brush fire was first reported at 1:23 p.m. and said to be at five acres, the CHP incident log noted.

By 1:42 p.m., “heavy smoke” was reported, Safechuck tweeted. At 2:03 p.m., the fire was “reported as 50 acres in grass and brush.”

Evacuation orders were issued for Aliso to Wasioja.

In addition, six air tankers were ordered to address the fire. Nine engines were en route as of 3:27 p.m. according to PulsePoint.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued a hurricane local statement warning of potential flash floods and high-speed winds at 2 p.m.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

Motorists are advised to use an alternate route, County of San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services tweeted at 3:44 p.m.