[Update: Friday, 3:15 p.m.] Given the immense size of the Thomas Fire — and its response — the firefighting agencies combatting the blaze have just decided to split into two separate initiatives, one focused on Ventura County and the other on Santa Barbara. Both efforts, however, will remain under the Unified Command of the U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire.
It’s not yet clear what the exact mission of the two initiatives will be, but clearly, the Santa Barbara division will be focused on keeping the fire from spreading into Santa Barbara County. To date, the fire has not done so, though there’s been no shortage of smoke crossing county lines.
Friday afternoon saw a dramatic and ominous accumulation of dark, roiling smoke in Santa Barbara, causing much concern and apprehension. According to Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Pat McElroy, the situation was not a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Instead, he said, it was more a case of the smoke getting trapped between two competing weather patterns.
