Scary day yesterday here, my girls had to be evacuated from school yesterday afternoon, as fire broke in the hills above their school.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Helicopter water drops and calmer winds helped crews hold off a wildfire Wednesday that forced the evacuation of several thousand people living in 1,200 homes.

"The fire laid down quite a bit during the night because of the lack of winds," Santa Barbara County fire Capt. David Sadecki said. "It's looking really good."

But Sadecki said a surge of wind could bring the fire back to life. The National Weather Service said wind out of the north-northwest could blow at 20 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph.
Officials lowered the number of acres burned — to just under 200 and not 400 as earlier reported — but noted the fire was at zero containment.

In total, some 2,000 homes north of Santa Barbara were threatened by the fire, which portended an early start to California's annual wildfire siege.

Fourteen strike teams, including 70 engines and three helicopters, battled the blaze. The helicopters, normally grounded after dark, continued dropping water on the fire for much of the night, Sadecki said.
Mandatory evacuations were in effect for residential areas spanning a region about 2 1/2 miles wide, officials said. More than a dozen schools and a museum were also closed.
No structures had been lost, but flames pulled within a half-mile of some neighborhoods, said county spokeswoman Pat Wheatley.

The fire began Tuesday afternoon in the foothills above San Roque Canyon and grew quickly grew. The cause was not known, Sadecki said.

Less than six months ago, a wind-driven, 2,000-acre blaze destroyed more than 200 homes in Santa Barbara and neighboring Montecito.

Elsewhere, crews in rural southeastern Arizona were battling a wildfire that had burned four or five homes and injured one person. The fire had charred about 2,000 acres of rolling grassland, dry brush and scattered trees near Fort Huachuca, and containment was rated at zero late Tuesday.

Officials in Santa Barbara said some of the aircraft there might have to be redeployed to Arizona given the more imminent threat to homes.
[Edited 5/11/09 10:49am]

Thank god, the winds have died down today..it has been soooo windy for the past few days. Scary shit.

Stay safe darling!!!!!

Watch out for something in the mail. I hope it didn't get burned up en route.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

I already told the mail room, to get me my little something, when it arrives, to me STAT!!

My house is fine, but many friends and co-workers are evacuated. Some people even brought their pet's to work!
Thanks Miguel!

it seems so very early for this, no?

i'll ~~~~ over rainy thoughts for you
stay safe.

emm said:

It seems there is no longer a set fire season. It always seems to be fire season here. We have had 3 major fires in 9 months!
Right now the winds have picked up and it is 93 degrees outside. Not good.

sucks. My bro had surgery on Monday and yesterday it got so hot and ashy it made him even more miserable. Santa Barbara has had their fair share of fires in the past year. Hope the fire doesnt make my drive longer that it has to be tonight

Wind just picked up, Santa Barbara is on fire.

What's the update sweety!?

Good ole Cali. I don't miss it.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Atleast 20 homes burned over night. It is a smokey, ashy mess.

I took this picture from my front yard...


Thank you to the many people who have sent me orgnotes, I am safe thank you, just sad..many many friends and co-workers have been evacuated and are scared for their homes.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

that looks so close to you!!! stay safe

Damn

Stay safe

veronikka said:

The winds are blowing the smoke in my direction. But I did stay home from work today, just to keep an eye on this. Thanks Vero

veronikka said:

looks about the same outside my brother's door step.....Salsipuedes st, right next to SB Don baseball field

amorbella said:

I hope your brother is feeling better soon!!

amorbella said:

I love the name of the street. *get out if you can* in spanish. Kinda ironic. Tell him to leave!!!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Ohh we have a ton of funky spanish named streets...Canon Perdido, Nopalitos, Chilon, very

PaisleyPark5083 said:

at Chilon!!!!!

We have an Avenida De Las Pulgas....who the hell wants to live there?

Here's an scary picture.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

A flea bitten dog perhaps?

PaisleyPark5083 said:

Update please.

Everything okay over there. What they showed on the news last night was not good.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

It was scary ass shitty...i think everyone in town has a bagged packed "just in case"
The winds picked up again last night and now the range of the fire has spanned from montecito to goleta, which means it just crosses all of our mountain range...

It has not come in to the city, but it started to cross foothill road, which is the long main road along the mountains. Many more houses were burned last night.
My family camped out in our living room all night with the television on all night, keeping us posted. Santa Barbara the city looks like a ghost town today...many people stayed home from work, schools are closed...sad day.
[Edited 5/8/09 9:48am]

PaisleyPark5083 said:

how bout Indio Muerto!!! ha!!

anyway, he wont leave, I was there last night and it was horrible

Just keep us updated.



Stay safe!

All the Santa Barbara and surrounding area .orgers are in my 's

Stay safe!

Update
75 homes lost, 3,500 acres burned and 18,000 people are evacuated.