Highway 154 is officially back open as of Sunday evening, however fire officials advise motorists not to stop and look at the fire activity and to focus on the roadway. California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies will be patrolling the area and to protect fire personnel.
“The Whittier Fire will continue to smolder for some time. These “smokers” are well inside the containment area and do not pose a threat to the fireline,” officials wrote on their report.
The following Evacuation Orders have been reduced to an Evacuation Warning:
- Paradise Road, from Highway 154 to the first river crossing.
- Cachuma Village
The following Evacuation Orders remain valid:
- West Camino Cielo at Highway 154 to Winchester Gun Club and Kinevan Road
- Rosario Park and all of Stagecoach Road
- All of Winchester Canyon Road excluding the community of Wagon Wheel, Langlo Ranch Road and Winchester Commons, west to El Capitan Ranch Road
- Calle Real north to West Camino Cielo, from Winchester Canyon Road on the east to El Capitan Ranch Road on the west. This includes all roads and trails within the area of the order
If you are in this area you are advised to leave immediately. If you are not in this area, avoid the area and Highway 154 entirely. Highway 154 is closed from 246 to Foothill Road.
Evacuation Shelter Information:
The south evacuation shelter is open at San Marcos High School, 4750 Hollister Ave., Goleta.
For animal evacuation questions and offers of assistance, call the Animal Services hotline at (805) 681-4332.
On the south side, pet owners with small animals that can be evacuated may be brought to the Santa Barbara Humane Society at 5399 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara.
For the most recent updates, you can also visit the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
Here’s a photo gallery of Sunday’s backfire operation near the Bee Rock Mine up Highway 154 by SBC Fire Public Information Officer Mike Eliason.
