Santa Barbara businesses open to public again as Jesusita fire wanes

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With the Jesusita fire about 90% contained, Santa Barbara officials want to get the word out that the city is open for business and ready for visitors.

Air quality is back to normal, and businesses and tourist destinations suffered minimal damage, the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission said in a statement today.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Gardensustained significant damage but will reopen Saturday. Most of the garden remains intact including the Meadow, most of the Desert and Redwood Exhibits, the Discovery Garden, Teahouse and Manzanita Exhibit, the statement said.

All other businesses and public spaces were unharmed in the fire and are now open, the commission said.

The remaining portion of the Jesusita fire is burning along a ridge in the coastal mountains and has been difficult for firefighters to reach, fire officials said Thursday.

The fire started May 5 and has burned about 8,733 acres in the Santa Barbara foothills and canyons between Goleta and Montecito, destroying 80 homes and 79 outbuildings. The Santa Barbara Fire Department has set a fire containment date for Wednesday.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

in Santa Barbara. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times