Strong winds cause power outages and fallen trees on Christmas Eve

Strong winds cause power outages and fallen trees on Christmas Eve

Firefighters are working to put down a small brush fire caused by a downed power line near Foothill Road. | Photo credit: Courtesy

Swirling winds downed trees and power lines in Santa Barbara and Goleta on Christmas Eve, leading to multiple reports of heavy traffic and power outages across the county.

The weather event followed a morning rain, and around 10 a.m. the gusty winds suddenly increased, causing branches to fall from trees, causing traffic jams as people were busy doing their final Christmas shopping.

At 10:30 a.m., emergency services received multiple reports of power lines in Santa Barbara and Goleta, and firefighters had already begun working on downed trees on Highway 101 between Turnpike Road, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Scott Safechuck and to eliminate Patterson Avenue.

As of 11 a.m., some streetlights in downtown Santa Barbara and along Hollister Avenue were still without power, and several businesses reported outages while others were able to maintain service. Near Foothill Road, firefighters could be seen working to extinguish a small brush fire caused by a downed power line.

As of 11:45 a.m., power was still out at some homes in Goleta and Santa Barbara. Winds are expected to continue blowing intermittently throughout the day and crews are working to restore service.

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