Firefighters finally put a lid on the Whittier Fire this weekend. All evacuation warnings have been lifted, and the fire has not grown for the past few days, according to the fire’s InciWeb page . Containment is at 87 percent, and the last size analysis put the fire at 18,430 acres.
Firefighters had their last night shift on Saturday. Officials decided the need was over for a 24-hour operation and are now tying up loose ends during daylight. Currently 806 personnel are on the fire, a drop of more than 1,000 compared to last week, when firefighters worried about incoming sundowner winds and Goleta residents fretted that the fire might reach the city.
But the winds that arrived did not pack the full punch that concerned officials. As the week went by, the fire’s size remained steady and containment gradually increased. The marine layer provided a defense against the fire’s encroachment. The daily briefings began to take a more lighthearted edge, with actor Billy Baldwin making a special guest appearance during Tuesday’s briefing to thank everyone for their work.