Santa Barbara Hot! Miguelito Fire Cooling Down

The record-breaking heat wave hitting Santa Barbara will continue Thursday but will start abating on Friday, with more palatable temperatures coming this weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A “hazardous weather outlook” is projected for much of Southern California today, including Santa Barbara County, with high temperatures and drought-inflicted dry conditions making for a strong fire danger.

Temperatures surpassed records across the southern portion of the state this week, NWS forecasters said, jumping 15-30 degrees higher than normal in most areas. The mercury is currently clocking in at 87 degrees at the Santa Barbara Airport, with today’s high expected to be 90 degrees; the record temperature for May 15 was 91 degrees in 1970, according to AccuWeather. Temperatures hit 98 degrees on Wednesday, 89 degrees on Tuesday, and 88 degrees on Monday. Friday’s forecast includes a high of 82 degrees. Saturday and Sunday shouldn’t experience temperatures greater than 76 and 72 degrees, respectively.

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The Miguelito Fire is now 90 percent contained, reported Capt. David Sadecki, public information officer for Santa Barbara County Fire, Thursday morning. The blaze, which broke out near Lompoc on Tuesday, burned 632 acres and threatened 1,200 homes and buildings but damaged none. Evacuations are now lifted, and no one was injured during the blaze.

County Fire estimated the cost to fight Miguelito at $860,000. At its height, 49 engines, four dozers, three helicopters, eight crews, and 173 firefighters were deployed, as well as the DC-10.