One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Whittier Fire In Santa Barbara County Grows To 17,000 Acres
A fire burning in Santa Barbara County near Lake Cachuma grew 4,000 acres overnight to reach 17,000 acres after almost a week of burning in the Los Padres National Forest. Known as the Whittier Fire, it started on July 8 near the Alamo Fire and has since prompted the evacuations of around 3,500 people. The fire is at 35% containment, according to Santa Barbara County. It has burned eight homes and 12 outbuildings. 1,240 personnel have been assigned to the fire.
Officials attribute the increase in size partly to low humidity and high temperatures, according to the L.A. Times. It also came from controlled burns to try and reduce the amount of fuel in the fire's path. The fire was at 50% containment on Friday, and officials expect the firefighters gain the upper hand again on Sunday.
Highway 154 has also been closed to the public from Highway 246 to Foothill Road, as well as the Los Padres National Forest in the area where the wildfire is burning. The area that is burning has not burned since 1955, according to USA Today.
Fire officials expect sundowner winds Saturday evening, which will make containment more difficult, according to the L.A. Times. The weather is supposed to cool down on Monday.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
