Santa Barbara fire explodes with the help of dangerous 'sundowner' winds

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Firefighters return during a shift change after working overnight, conducting burnout operations to corral the Sherpa fire in El Capitan Canyon in Goleta on June 18, 2016.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire retardant covers West Camino Cielo Road as firefighters continue to battle the Sherpa fire in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire retardant covers parts of West Camino Cielo Road and the surrounding brush as firefighters attack the Sherpa fire in Goleta on June 18, 2016.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters march into El Capitan Canyon to conduct a burn-out operation.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A T-40 aircraft drops a fire retardant into El Capitan Canyon as firefighters operate a burnout on the Sherpa fire before the winds pick up in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter torches dry foliage as crews conduct a burnout operation in El Capitan Canyon in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters march into El Capitan Canyon as they perform burnout operations to corral the Sherpa fire before the winds pick up.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighter monitors the embers in the air as they conduct a burn-out operation in El Capitan Canyon in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters monitor the embers in the air as they conduct a burn-out operation in El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters monitor the burn-out operation in El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter torches the dry foliage during a burn-out operation in El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters march into El Capitan Canyon in Golata to conduct a burn-out operation to corral the Sherpa fire.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters work to route water in their hoses into the El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters assess the burn-out operation in El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter tries to control a growing flame in El Capitan Canyon.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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US Forest Service firefighters keep an eye on the Sherpa fire burning above El Capitan Ranch in Santa Barbara CountyFriday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Orange County firefighters work to put out embers in heavy mulch in El Capitan Canyon while battling the Sherpa fire in Santa Barbara County on June 17, 2016.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Orange County firefighter Jean Davancens works to put out embers in heavy mulch in El Capitan Canyon while working the Sherpa fire on June 17, 2016.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Flames consume brush unabated in El Capitan Canyon as crews continue to battle a raging wildfire in Santa Barbara County on June 17, 2016.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Cal Fire brush crews cross a burned-out ridge above El Capitan Canyon while working the Sherpa fire in Santa Barbara County on June 17, 2016.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A deer stands in El Capitan State Park among burned-out trees and shrubs in Santa Barbara County on June 17, 2016.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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The Sherpa Fire burns in the background of the homes in El Capitan Ranch, near Goleta, on Friday morning.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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The sun rises through smoky haze from the Sherpa Fire in Goleta on Friday.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters try to stop the flames before they reach El Capitan Canyon camp.

(Dillon Deaton / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters observe the Sherpa fire as it approaches the El Capitan Canyon camp.

(Dillon Deaton / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters work near El Capitan Canyon camp in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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GOLETA, CALIF. -- THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016: Firefighters combat the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto Highway 101, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif., on June 16, 2016. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters try to prevent the flames from burning through El Capitan Canyon camp and in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters try to control the blaze near El Capitan Canyon camp and its structures in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Flames close in on El Capitan Canyon camp.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters combat the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter ducks as the wind changes direction and blows ember towards their direction, at the Sherpa Fire in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters monitor the front lines of the Sherpa Fire along Calle Real road in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.,

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters make a defensive move on the front lines of the Sherpa Fire to avoid it from moving onto the 101 freeway, along Calle Real road, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter helicopter drops water to extinguish embers from the Sherpa Fire that flew onto the 101 freeway, in Goleta, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Helicopters drop water while fixed wing aircraft drop Phos Chek to contain the erratic SherpaFire Thursday afternoon near the top of Refugio Road in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch above the El Capitan Ranch area west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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The Sherpa Fire grows this evening as sundowner winds push flames to the East in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch above as seen from Refugio State Beach on the 101 Freeway.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters monitor the fire as flare ups threaten at the erratic SherpaFire Thursday afternoon in Refugio Canyon in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch above the El Capitan Ranch area west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Appearing as snow the ashen hillsides of Refugio Canyon shows the intense heat Thursday afternoon in the Sherpa Fire along Refugio Road in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch above the El Capitan Ranch area west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CALIF. -- THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016: Big Bear Hotshots Ernesto Rubio watches his crew fire a creek bed along Refugio Road while working the Scherpa Fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif., on June 16, 2016. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Big Bear Hotshots Erik Evans fires a creek bed along Refugio Road while working the Scherpa Fire in Santa Barbara County.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A jet drops fire retardant on the Sherpa fire as it consumes heavy brush along Refigio Road near Refugio Pass in Santa Barbara County.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A helicopter drops water on the Sherpa fire as it consumes heavy brush along Refigio Road in Santa Barbara County.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A helicoper drops water on the Sherpa fire in Santa Barbara County on Thursday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Santa Barbara County firefighters stand by for structure protection as the Sherpa fire consumes heavy brush near Highway 101 on Thursday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Flames are pushed downslope by winds near the top of Refugio in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch and above the El Capitan Ranch area, west of Goleta. A brush fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the area and caused a section of freeway to be closed Thursday morning.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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An 1,100-acre wildfire burns across the Santa Ynez mountains west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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A brush fire burns in the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Water-dropping helicopters try to get the upper hand on a brush fire in the Santa Ynez mountains. The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon near the Ronald Reagan Ranch above the El Capitan Ranch area west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Smoke billows along the Santa Ynez mountains near the Ronald Reagan Ranch west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Smoke billows as water-dropping helicopters battle a brush fire in the Santa Ynez mountains west of Goleta.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

By Shelby Grad

June 17, 2016 8:29 AM PT

The Sherpa fire in Santa Barbara County is being fueled by notorious “sundowner” winds.

The sundowners have been the cause of numerous devastating fires along Santa Barbara's mountainous east-west coastline, bringing strong Santa Ana-like winds around sunset. Sundowners caused a 1990 blaze that destroyed hundreds of homes in Santa Barbara County.

https://twitter.com/shelbygrad/status/743816280952569857

The sundowner effect can be so destructive because of the violent clash of hot air from the Santa Ynez Mountains and the cool air of the Pacific Ocean. The sundowners can produce wind gusts that top 80 mph and increase temperatures.

https://twitter.com/shelbygrad/status/743822226550493184

Sundowners are similar to the Santa Ana winds that have fueled many brush fires around Southern California. Both are formed by strong surface high pressure over the great basin, according to the Montecito Fire Department. The department, which battled a 2008 sundowner-fueled fire that destroyed dozens of homes, described the winds this way:

Sundowners are also formed by building high pressure, however, this high pressure is much weaker but much closer to the Santa Barbara South Coast. Usually when the winds are fairly strong along the Central Coast of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties to the north, high pressure builds near Santa Maria behind the Santa Ynez range. As this high pressure builds, the same rule comes in play ... air flows from high to low pressure. Air pushes through the passes and canyons of the Santa Ynez Range, especially through the Gaviota Pass, San Marcos Pass, Montecito foothills, and some smaller canyons. The wind that results is more of a northwest to northeast wind and is usually quite strong.

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