Wildfire outside Santa Barbara, California, threatens homes, causes evacuations

Fire ripped through brush and woodland on hills above Santa Barbara, California, early on Tuesday, causing authorities to order more than 2,000 residents of a nearby canyon to flee their homes, according to officials and local media.The fire had consumed some 4,100 acres (1,660 hectares) by Tuesday morning, with none of it contained, Daniel Bertucelli of the county fire department told reporters.Mandatory evacuation orders covered some 2,400 homes, the Los Angeles Times reported.