Jesusita fire: Thursday Night

If Wednesday night was bad, tonight is a thousand times worse.  As I type this just after midnight ash is raining all across the city as if a volcano had exploded.  The foothills above town are completely ablaze with flames going nearly all the way to the mountain ridge at the top.  The temperature is still 80˚ (26 c) and winds gusts up to 40mph.  Huge sections of the city are now under evacuation and the fire is moving so fast.  I crossed highway 154 just prior to its closing, and an hour later, the fire had already crossed it to the west and towards Goleta.  Homes are burning.  Simply awful out there; devastating.

Jesusita fire burns in foothills above Santa Barbara, California. Thursday night, May 7, 2009

Jesusita fire burns in foothills above Santa Barbara, California. Thursday night, May 7, 2009

Jesusita fire burns in foothills above Santa Barbara, California. Thursday night, May 7, 2009

Jesusita fire burns in foothills above Santa Barbara, California. Thursday night, May 7, 2009

4 replies
  1. Tony Middleton says:

    More stunning images from this ‘event’ Cody ! I just watched a report on the fires on the news here – 80 plus homes lost and thankfully no lives yet(?).3300 hectares in what looks like pretty rugged country ? All the best over there !

  2. Cody says:

    Thanks Tony. Ya, it’s been scary out here. During the day, the fire dies down for the most part, only to pick up again in the evening/night when the ‘sundowner’ winds come. Looking at a map, literally half the city is under evacuation. It got all the way to my brother’s back yard on Thursday night.

  3. Cody says:

    Cheers Darren. It’s foggy this morning on the coast, so lets hope the increased humidity slows things down a bit.

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