Say a Prayer for California

We are safe, but the fire Monday grew by  61,000 acres, racing north towards Santa Barbara. The winds, which can carry embers more than a mile and start spot fires well ahead of the flame front, picked up, driven by winds, topography and fuel. 

The very qualities that make its wilderness a beacon for hikers and the dramatic backdrop to coastal towns also make it a firefighters’ nightmare. The mountain ranges run east-west — in line with dry winds from the interior. Deep canyons crease country that is twisted and folded by nature’s forces. There are few places where fire crews can take a stand.

Humidity levels are stuck at withering levels, sucking the moisture out of dense stands of chaparral that can stoke flames like coal shoveled into a furnace.  

The only good news is air tankers laid retardant lines and cleared old fuel breaks to keep the blaze out of the condor sanctuary.