Exxon has evacuated non-essential personnel from its Las Flores Canyon facility in Santa Barbara county in response to a wildfire.
The employees on site are involved in various fire-protection activities and the company is monitoring the situation, Exxon Mobil said.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Refugio Canyon, Venadito Canyon and Las Flores Canyon, which includes an Exxon refinery, according to reports that quoted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
A company spokesman said that the report was referring to Exxon’s Las Flores Canyon onshore facility.
“Our primary concern is for the safety of our employees, contractors and the environment,” a company spokesman said.
A 150-acre blaze broke out around 3:30 p.m. local time Wednesday in the area of Los Padres National Forest, according to the report.