A key Santa Barbara County highway is going to be closed during the early morning hours on a regular basis to help move firefighting equipment to battle the massive Thomas brush fire.
Starting Thursday, Highway 154 will be shut down to the public from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. between Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley. Commuters will need to take Highway 101 if they are trying to travel between Southern and Northern Santa Barbara County.
CHP officials say during the rest of the day, when the highway is open to the public, drivers should proceed with caution because the large amount of firefighting related traffic on Highway 154.