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Firefighters Try To Take Advantage Of Lull in Wind To Make Progress Against Sherpa Brush Fire

(Photo by John Palminteri)
Sherpa Fire burning near Refugio State Beach before sunrise Thursday

More than 500 firefighters aided by helicopters, and air tankers are trying to take advantage of a lull in the wind to build containment lines for the Sherpa brush fire, which has blackened more than 1250 acres of land in Santa Barbara County.

No homes or ranches have been reported damaged by the blaze, which started Wednesday afternoon off of Refugio Road, in Refugio Canyon.  The fire quickly spread to about 50 acres, and aircraft were slowing its spread when darkness grounded aircraft.  A spike in the wind overnight exploded the blaze.

Firefighters were able to protect the scattered homes in the sparsely populated area, and today have focused on clearing brush, and using backfires to block the spread of the fire.

While the fire is still being called a 1250 acre blaze as of 1 p.m., the official number hasn't changed for six hours, and could be much greater.

The big concern is that strong wind tonight could create another major flareup.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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