UPDATED 8:45 AM
The winds are calming down and the aircraft are flying, as the Sherpa fire is burning, albeit less intensely, along the Refugio coastline.
The fire west of Goleta had a big push yesterday afternoon, fanned by strong winds going offshore coming out of the hills above Refugio and churning through 1200 acres.
The fire now is simmering down with aircraft flying to border the fire with flame retardant, and also helicopters making water drops on some of the flames that are still boiling up in the hills of highway 101 east of Refugio State Beach.
The 101 has reopened now after being closed for hours with residual traffic having backed up highway 154 and 246 this morning.
