Firefighters successfully stopped the huge Thomas brush fire as it tried to burn down from the Santa Ynez mountain range into Montecito.
The fire moved out of the mountains and downslope to the foothills above the community Tuesday afternoon and evening. Firefighters used homes in the hills and some roads as key points to create fire lines.
The fire flared up in intensity during the early evening hours, but by around 9 p.m., firefighters blocked its movement downslope, and it started to subside. By daybreak, only scattered spots of flame were visible.
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the fire pushed northwest, away from the Mission Canyon and San Marcos Pass areas, and towards wilderness areas.
The fire is now at 237,500 acres burned, and 25% containment. 921 structures have been confirmed destroyed, and there is one death related to the fire.
