Whittier Fire burn area avoids major debris flows from storm

The Whittier Fire burn area appears to have avoided significant debris flow during the recent storm.

The Whittier Fire last year scorched nearly 20,000 acres mostly on the eastern side of the Santa Ynez mountains but stretched into the Goleta Valley on the western side.

Steady rain fell over northern Santa Barbara County Thursday night and Friday morning including over the San Marcos Pass on Highway 154.

By daybreak Friday, there was little sign of any major debris flow in the Whittier Fire burn area apart from a few minor landslips and rocks along Highway 154.

Both Camp Whittier and the Rancho Alegre Camp, which was devastated by the Whittier Fire last year, were evacuated before the storm moved in Thursday.

“We purchased 19 K-Rails to hopefully keep debris from hitting our structures that survived”, said Rancho Alegre Camp Ranger Todd Williams.

In addition to mud and debris flow concern within the Whittier Fire burn area, there’s also concern about harmful storm runoff into nearby Lake Cachuma.

“We just don’t need half an inch of rain within five minutes, we don’t need that scenario again”, Williams said, “a gradual rain over three days, if we got two inches over three days, that would be great, we definitely need the rain.”

So far, so good for the Whittier Fire burn area, at least until the next storm arrives.