Fire officials say they are having some success in battling a wind-driven wildfire that has burned nearly 6,000 acres in the mountains above Goleta, and forced thousands of people from their homes.

“We’re definitely making progress on this fire,” said Chris Hahn, division chief for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, at a press briefing this afternoon. “It’s moving into areas that are easier to access.”

Officials are relying on a beefed-up air attack to help them gain the upper hand on the blaze, which is threatening some 3,000 structures in adjacent communities.

Ten air tankers are available to drop loads of retardant on what has been dubbed the Gap Fire, which now stretches several miles from near Highway 154 on the east to Tecolote Canyon on the west, according to Manuel Madrigal, a spokesman for the fire command team.

That’s up from four tankers that were battling the blaze Thursday.

The aerial fleet, aided by six water-dropping helicopters, includes a giant DC-10 jet aircraft capable of dropping much larger loads on the flames. It already had made at least one run as of 2 p.m.

Firefighters are concentrating their efforts this afternoon on the northeast flank of the fire, hoping to prevent it from moving into the community of Trout Club and jumping Highway 154. They’re also trying to stem the westward spread of the flames, although burning in that area has not been as fierce.

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“Right now it’s looking really good,” Hahn said. “Over the last three days, the fire has not made any movement into populated areas.”

Fire officials issued an evacuation warning this afternoon for communities below the western front of the wildfire.

Affected neighborhoods include Winchester Canyon, Rancho Embarcadero and upper Farren Road, according to county officials.

The advisory urges residents to get ready to leave their homes in case fire conditions change and a mandatory evacuation order is given.

The fire was listed as 10 percent contained as of this morning, but Hahn noted that figure really is meaningless.

“”There is no containment on it,” he said. “The entire fire line is still open.”

No structures have been confirmed destroyed, although a mobile home and some vehicles have been burned. Officials were surveying outlying areas to make a fuller assessment. More than 3,000 structures are considered threatened.

Only a handful of minor injuries — such as eye irritations and smoke inhalation — have been reported thus far, Madrigal said.

An estimated 1,075 firefighters and 177 engines from numerous agencies are battling the blaze.

Fire officials have said the blaze was “human caused,” but have not elaborated.

Burn activity was relatively calm this morning due to lower temperatures, higher humidity and weak onshore winds. Winds began picking up this afternoon, but remained mainly onshore.

Evening “sundowner” winds that helped stoke the fire Thursday afternoon and evening are expected to return late this afternoon, although the forecast calls for milder conditions, Madrigal said.

Suppression costs thus far have totaled more than $1.6 million, a number that likely will soar in the days ahead, Madrigal said.

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect today for Glen Annie and La Patera canyons; the area north of Patterson Avenue (north of the Patterson curve) between Fairview and Patterson; and the mountain communities along West Camino Cielo Road, Hidden Valley, the Trout Club and Painted Cave.

Hundreds of residents living north of Cathedral Oaks Road between Fairview Avenue and Glen Annie Road are under an evacuation warning, and have been strongly advised to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

An evacuation center is in operation at San Marcos High School at the corner of Turnpike Road and Hollister Avenue, and reportedly was very busy.

All Fourth of July events scheduled today at Stow House and Girsch Park in Goleta have been canceled.