- Blog: Jesusita Fire evacuations
- Blog: Jesusita Fire school closures
- Blog: Jesusita Fire road closures
- More: Most Popular stories, videos and more
- More: Get breaking news alerts
The Jesusita fire, which has burned through an area of more than 13 square miles, was 65 percent contained Sunday afternoon after moist air flowed in from the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, blocking the hot, dry wind known as the "sundowner" that had contributed to the fire's spread.
Residents returning home were warned they should remain alert in case conditions worsen again, but the wind was not expected to return for at least another day.
The dramatically cooler, damper weather this weekend has allowed firefighters to make steady progress in containing the fire. By Sunday morning, the temperature at Santa Barbara was just 56 degrees and humidity was 86 percent, the National Weather Service said. Sunday's forecast was for a high of just 65 to 75, about 20 degrees cooler than last week's weather.
- Video: Modified DC-10 drops Phos-Chek to create fire line
- Slideshow: See images from the wildfire
- North: 'All hell broke loose,' says Fire Chief
- Hernandez: Residents defend their homes
- Garcia: Evacuations double as wildfire spreads
- Air 7 HD: Aerials over the wildfire
The weather service had dropped its fire weather warnings Saturday and predicted that clouds and fog would continue through Monday morning. It said the sundowner wind blowing down from the Santa Ynez range wouldn't returned before Monday night, and then only weakly to moderately.
Authorities say the Jesusita fire has burned 8,733 acres and it was estimated to be fully contained by Wednesday. More than 90 homes have been damaged or destroyed and 362 residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders. The cost of the fire's damage has been estimated at $9 million.
- Link: Burned firefighters undergo surgery
- Related: Interactive map of burn area
- Link: Fire info from Santa Barbara County
- Link: Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau
More than 30,000 people had been under mandatory evacuation orders since the fire erupted Tuesday just above Santa Barbara on the face of the steep Santa Ynez Mountains.
28 firefighters have reported injuries.
Report Typo |
Send Tip |
Get Alerts | Most Popular
Follow @abc7 on Twitter | Become a fan on Facebook