As you may know, there's a fast growing and dangerous fire that started on Hwy.154 near Lake Cachuma. I'm unable to update details until later tonight, but wanted to take a moment to post these aerial photos of the fire taken a little after 6pm. This first pic from offshore of El Capitan gives some context of the fire's size and location late this afternoon.
Below is a zoom pic of a southwestern actively burning area.
Then this zoom pic of Phoschek fire retardant aerial drop.
This last aerial pic from the flight is another look from offshore, this time a zoom showing the towering smoke plume in relation to the ridge line.
After landing back at SBA we were struck by the ominous thick pall of smoke blowing across Goleta and out over the Channel. There was a cool breeze off the water from the South, that was a stark contrast with the hot breath of a mild Sundowner wind from the North we'd just flown in only 1,500' up. Above that was stronger wind carrying all that smoke and a dusting of ash flakes.
Update 7/8 11pm:
The Santa Barbara Airport (KSBA) is reporting 65°F with wind from the SE at 7 MPH. Their latest aviation forecast is for wind shear (basically what locals call a "Sundowner") at 1000 feet altitude from the NNW at 34 MPH until 3am. KIZA (Santa Ynez airport) automated weather is reporting light wind from the West, overcast at 7,000 feet (possibly smoke from the Alamo Fire), and 66°F. The trouble is we still have a "temperature inversion" where it's hotter at higher elevations. For example, personal weather stations in the Painted Cave area are reporting 86-88°F. What this means is that we're likely to see a cool sea breeze in town, but the foothills more than 1,000' above sea level could be in the path of a fast moving fire.
My own guess is that while it's hotter up there and thus more conducive to fire, the greatest danger will be above two or three thousand feet elevation. Apparently the fire is slowing now as it gets lower and less driven by the hot downslope wind we saw at sunset. Fire tends to burn up a slope, which will also help. With lighter winds at the ridge line but more toward the SW, some embers may be blown beyond the hillside active fire line and start spot fires. Luckily we don't seem likely to have a full-on Sundowner with hot dry winds gusting from the North right down to the beach as during the horrible Painted Cave Fire. But people in the hills need to be especially alert, and our already exhausted local fire crews will sure be busy tonight!
Now I'm going to forage for more details online, and will report back here sometime after midnight if I can find any details. Hope everyone can keep safe, and that no more people or structures will be affected. By morning it's possible they can establish some containment lines, especially with the DC-10 "supertanker" stationed nearby at KSMX (Santa Maria) and other aircraft (especially helicopters) possibly stationed even closer at KIZA (Santa Ynez).
Update 7/8 11:30pm:
This 10:30pm low-resolution infrared satellite image shows the Whittier fire active area hotter and larger than the Alamo Fire.
