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| California lifts fire evacuations | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Californian fire officials say nearly a third of the wildfire that has burnt 80 homes and forced 30,000 people to flee from Santa Barbara is under control. | |
| Officials have allowed most of the evacuees to go home as they downgraded the evacuation orders to warnings. | |
| The city's deputy fire chief credited cooler weather for the progress, but warned those conditions may not last. | The city's deputy fire chief credited cooler weather for the progress, but warned those conditions may not last. |
| The 8,600-acre (3,480ha) blaze remains a "sleeping giant" along its eastern flank, the officials said. | The 8,600-acre (3,480ha) blaze remains a "sleeping giant" along its eastern flank, the officials said. |
| But a morning fog, cooler weather and light winds on Saturday allowed fire-fighters to make progress. | |
| Officials say the fire is now 30% contained, meaning they have almost a third of the blaze under control, but they remain on alert. | |
| "The weather tends to be a little fickle around here," said deputy fire chief Chris Hahn. "So our guard is up." | "The weather tends to be a little fickle around here," said deputy fire chief Chris Hahn. "So our guard is up." |
| In pictures: California wildfire Readers' accounts of the fire Your pictures of the blaze | In pictures: California wildfire Readers' accounts of the fire Your pictures of the blaze |
| Some 4,000 fire-fighters have been brought in to battle the fast-moving fire, along with a fleet of aircraft water tankers. | Some 4,000 fire-fighters have been brought in to battle the fast-moving fire, along with a fleet of aircraft water tankers. |
| Thirteen of them have been injured since the blaze broke out on Tuesday, including three who were hospitalised with burns and smoke inhalation. | Thirteen of them have been injured since the blaze broke out on Tuesday, including three who were hospitalised with burns and smoke inhalation. |
| Sundowners, fierce local winds that sweep down the mountains and out to sea, have been whipping up the flames in recent days as temperatures remained high. | Sundowners, fierce local winds that sweep down the mountains and out to sea, have been whipping up the flames in recent days as temperatures remained high. |
| The area's last major brush fire destroyed more than 200 homes in November. It was blamed on a bonfire started by local students. | |
| The cause of the present fire, which began on Tuesday, is under investigation. | |
| Are you in California? Have you been affected by the wildfires? You can send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in California? Have you been affected by the wildfires? You can send us your experiences using the form below. |
| You can also send us your pictures or videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can upload it here. | You can also send us your pictures or videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can upload it here. |
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