After being closed for more than three days by the Alisal Fire, Highway 101 along the Gaviota Coast was reopened Thursday evening, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Traffic along the key north-south route began flowing again at 6 p.m., eliminating the need for motorists to take the slow detour on Highway 154 over San Marcos Pass and through the Santa Ynez Valley.
The highway had been shut down since Monday afternoon — between Winchester Canyon in western Goleta and the Highway 101-Highway 1 interchange north of Gaviota.
The Alisal Fire burned down to the highway in several places along that stretch over the past few days, and Caltrans crews have been working to repair guardrails and other infrastructure, and remove damaged trees.
The closure led to lengthy delays — of two hours or more — for motorists traveling between the South Coast and communities in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Train traffic also resumed Thursday — at 4 p.m. — on the tracks that parallel the highway along the coast.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect in and around the fire area, according to Raquel Zick, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that traffic into the evacuation zones is restricted and there will be roadblocks in these areas to prevent access,” Zick said. “The Sheriff’s Office has increased patrol in these areas to ensure security of the residences and buildings as well as to keep the area clear of traffic that would impede firefighting efforts.”
As of Friday morning, the Alisal Fire had blackened 16,901 acres and was 41% contained.
Click here for information about evacuations, road closures and other details related to the Alisal Fire.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.