By Jill Serjeant
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Weary California firefightersbraced on Sunday for another heat wave in the next few days asthey battled to bring two major blazes threatening towns alongthe central coast under control.
Residents in more than 2,600 homes in the path of a 9,367acre (3.642 hectares) fire in the Santa Barbara area were stillunder evacuation orders. Families who live in another 850houses were warned to be ready to leave at short notice, countyofficials said.
Cooler weather on Saturday helped fire crews make someheadway against a six-day old fire raging in rugged terrainnear the small town of Goleta, about eight miles (13 kms) fromSanta Barbara.
But with the fire only 28 percent contained, temperaturesrose and humidity dropped on Sunday ahead of what forecasterswarned would be another heat wave ahead with temperaturesexceeding 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) in many areas.
"Any time temperatures increase and relative humidity goesdown, the fuels get drier and you have a more combustiblesituation. There is a lot of concern for firefighter safety,"said Karen McKinley, spokeswoman for the National ForestService.
"We've got increased temperatures and increased windstoday. Canyons and passes tend to channel winds, so what couldhappen is that the winds could channel the fire down San Marcopass and that would hit Goleta and Santa Barbara," she said.
The blaze near Goleta is one of more than 1,700 to hitcentral and northern California since June 21, destroying atleast 69 homes, charring 520,000 acres (210,000 hectares) andkilling one firefighter, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggersaid on Saturday.
Most were caused by lightning strikes and have beencontained, but about 330 are still burning.
Further north, a fire raging along the spectacular Big Surcoast, about 140 miles (225 km) south of San Francisco,continued to threaten nearly 1,700 homes. Flames have consumedmore than 72,000 acres (29,000 hectares) in the past two weeksand mandatory evacuations are in effect.
Fire crews have managed to defend the village of Big Surbut the fire is only 11 percent contained and is expected torage until the end of July, fire officials said.
(Editing by Alan Elsner)
