AirTankers work to stop the spread of the Whittier Fire

Santa Barbara County Firefighters said an aerial assault on the western flank of the Whittier Fire helped them combat flames in hard to get places.

AirTankers also helped them make progress before a forecasted change in the weather.

The largest planes to drop Phos-Chek on Thursday included a DC-10 and an MD-87.

Peoples pulled over along Winchester Canyon to watch the red retardant drops.

Judi Flook works in the airline business and said she is always awestruck.

“When I see the planes going over, I love them, I want to see them dumping. It is incredible when you see it on television: the fire and smoke and everything going on, but when you actually see it in real life it is awesome, it is incredible,” said Flook.

Some Goleta residents said they could hear the planes all day.

Santa Barbara County Fire Information Officer Mike Eliason photographed the planes off West Camino Cielo.

He said they flew into heavy smoke and “painted a box.”

“We have the fixed wing aircraft dropping Phos-Chek, which is a powder that you mix with water, and they have the fire retardant base which is in Santa Maria airport, the aircraft go there, pick it up fly over the fire, and it is really kind of an orchestrated event. They have a lead plane which shows them exactly where to place that Phos-Chek and they will paint the box with that Phos-Chek and the reason is red that is an additive, the only reason it is red is so they can see where they dropped it,” said Eliason.

The large tankers stopped flying before sunset.

A Huey helicopter continued to drop water on hot spots after dark.

Crews in he air and on the ground are working to prevent flare-ups from moving toward Goleta and other communities.