You can see where the exclamation points are where Highway 101 is closed due to the fire likely coming over the freeway and into the ocean and anyone on that freeway could burn up because of the winds being like a blowtorch right now. And gas or diesel usually can ignite under these conditions whereas Firemen and women are trained how to stay alive more than the public in these kinds of conditions.
If the winds change and head south along the coast at some point this could also threaten Goleta or even Santa Barbara if the winds don't stop soon. Also, the winds are too high for fixed wing aircraft to be used at all at this point and even helicopters are sketchy in these kinds of winds, especially during takeoff and landings. In the air you just bounce around a lot but mostly this is survivable while you are above 100 feet above the ground in most conditions. But, 1000 feet or more above the ground is safer for helicopters in winds like these.
Trees have blown down where I live on the northern California coast today and Pacific Gas and Electric shut everyone's power off this afternoon where I live on the coast for 2 or 3 hours because they were afraid of power lines going down and starting a fire through many areas of North and Central California along the coast and inland. I spent a lot of time today sweeping pine needles and leaves and debris off my deck today from the winds yesterday and today. My wife wanted to get photos of the wild waves and white caps on the ocean yesterday and said the winds almost blew her down so she had to lean against her car for support. Gusts up to 49 or more miles per hour happened in Big Sur as well. And the winds blew constantly at least 26 miles per hour down the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. So, we are lucky there is only one bad fire that they couldn't put out with all these winds up and down the coast and inland.
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