A new update on weather conditions for Saturday night says there’s still a possibility of sundowner winds overnight on the South Coast, but that they won’t be as strong as they were Friday night.
National Weather Service meteorologists say there could potentially be 30 to 35 mile an hour wind, but that it will be strongest east of the Whittier Fire, in San Marcos Pass and Montecito.
The fire has burned just over 17,000 acres of land in, and around the Santa Ynez Mountains.
A flareup last night a few miles northwest of Goleta in areas like Las Varas Canyon resulted in a four thousand acre expansion of the blaze. Containment dropped from a peak of 52% to 35%. No additional structures were reported Friday or Saturday during the day damaged by the now week old fire.
Some 1600 personnel are now involved in firefighting efforts, aided by six air tankers and 14 helicopters. Highway 154 from Santa Barbara to Highway 246 remains closed, with no projections on when it may reopen.
