Los Angeles • Thousands of firefighters tried Sunday to shield coastal communities from one of the biggest wildfires in California history while a funeral procession rolled past burn-scarred hillsides in honor of one of their colleagues who was killed battling the flames.
Crews cleared brush and dug containment lines above hillside neighborhoods in Santa Barbara County, taking advantage of slightly calmer winds a day after gusts fanned a flare-up that prompted more evacuations.
“Everything’s holding really well,” fire information officer Lisa Cox said. “Thousands of homes have been saved.”
While gusts had eased somewhat, even lower intensity winds were still dangerous, she warned.