Firefighters gaining control of Santa Barbara fires
May 15, 2009
www.countyofsb.org
By mid-week, Santa Barbara fire officials were anxiously waiting to see if winds would return to the hills above the city, as firefighting crews continued to dig containment lines around the wildfire still burning in Jesusita.
More than 3,000 firefighters and equipment operators soaked smoldering embers and carved wide containment swaths around the area where the fire was still burning.According to officials, the blaze was 80 percent contained, with full containment expected by May 20 unless weather conditions became unfavorable.
“This fire is still burning,” said Michele Mickiewicz, speaking on behalf of the Santa Barbara County emergency operations center. Late Tuesday afternoon, 15-20 mph winds were blowing through the San Marcos Pass, near the western flank of the fire, she added.
In the foothills above Montecito, conditions were calmer, but the spokeswoman noted that 65 mph winds from the southwest were still possible, adding: “There is all kinds of preplanning going on in case anything changes to move the fire eastward.”
The majority of the 30,000 residents who were evacuated due to the fires have been able to return home. So far, 8,733 acres have been burned, 78 homes have been destroyed and $13.5 million has been spent in fighting the blaze.
According to country officials, the fire may have started by someone clearing brush with a weed whacker on the Jesusita trail.
Thanks to latimesblogs.latimes.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.
www.countyofsb.org
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