Existing mandatory evacuation orders and warnings remain in place.
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About 270 homes and ranches were considered at risk in southern Santa Barbara County at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, an east-west trending range that parallels the south-facing coast.
“We had a very good night last night”, Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Eric Peterson told a news conference, adding “we’ve had no life loss, no major injuries and no major structural loss”.
“We have three sides of that box that we’re working on right now”.
Fire officials say 40-mph “sundowner” winds that usually sweep down the mountains near Santa Barbara didn’t materialize Friday night. Sunday night through Tuesday morning will be the most crucial times as temperatures go up and relative humidity goes down.
Saturday, firefighters will continue to work on building and reinforcing containment lines along the North and East sides of the fire, and along Highway 101.
The blaze was only 5 percent contained as of the morning of June 17.
Robert Lewin, an emergency manager with Santa Barbara County, said impacts on the economy after last summer’s Refugio oil spill are a major concern. Calle Real from El Cap to Refugio Road remained closed.
Significant Sundowner winds did not surface as expected Friday night.
The so-called Sherpa Fire feeding on chaparral and grass about 32km northwest of the affluent city of Santa Barbara tripled in size from 486 hectares on Thursday night to more than 1,619 hectares early on Friday, fire officials said. There has been substantial damage to avocado, lemon and olive crops as well as cattle grazing land.
Agriculture is a $1.8 billion industry in Santa Barbara County. The plant provides drinking and bathing water for campers at El Capitan State Beach. Campgrounds at El Capitan and Refugio State Beach have been closed due to the fire.
‘Humidity values less than 15 percent and dew points as low as the single digits will be present and persistent across a large portion of the Southwest through at least Sunday, ‘ said weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Belles.
Other residents were warned to be ready to leave upon receiving an evacuation order in areas east of El Capitan Canyon to Farren Road, including Canada de las Destiladera, Las Llagas Canyon, Gato Canyon, Las Varas Canyon, Dos Pueblos Canyon and Eagle Canyon.
Residents who live in West Goleta are encouraged to formulate an emergency evacuation plan, Santa Barbara County officials said Saturday.
About 100 horses had also been evacuated to the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara because of the fire. Small pets are okay to stay there. That means there have been significantly more fires in a shorter period.
“We need to do the best we can to get this fire out as soon as we can so we can make sure that tourism’s needs are addressed”, Lewin said. Firefighters increased containment after early evening “sundowner winds” that can whip through the area’s coastal canyons did not emerge overnight on Friday. Rail service was running by daylight Friday, but may also have to be halted again in the evening.
No one has been killed or injured in the three-day-old fire, and no structures have been lost, officials said. A representative from the National Weather Service was on scene to advise fire officials.
Highway 101 was open Friday morning after twice closing because of the fire, but forest officials warned drivers to be cautious as fire crews continued working along the road.
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Ground crews are being supported by air tankers and helicopters, including helicopters that can continue to make water drops after nightfall.
