Firefighters are hoping to get some help from the weather as they work to control a 230,000 acre brush fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties which has destroyed hundreds of homes.
The week long blaze has been fueled by Santa Ana winds and low humidity. The wind has eased, but a Red Flag Warning for high fire danger for Ventura County which was expected to end Monday night has been extended to Wednesday. There are no alerts for Santa Barbara County, but light wind is expected.
Firefighters have 15% containment of the fire, which is pushing into wilderness areas in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Some 6400 people are now involved in efforts to control the blaze, with much of the focus on the western side of the fire in the mountains above Carpinteria and Summerland. Mandatory evacuation orders are still in place for a number of communities, including parts of Ventura, Casitas Springs, Ojai, and much of Montecito.
