Fire Destroying Homes in Santa Barbara County, California

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Fire Destroying Homes in Santa Barbara County (AP/Mark J. Terrill)
Fire Destroying Homes in Santa Barbara County (AP/Mark J. Terrill)

There’s trouble in paradise again. One of my favorite luxury vacation towns, Santa Barbara, is in the midst of powerful, raging fire. It’s already destroyed over one hundred homes and caused some injuries (none major, yet) to over a dozen people. These are million-dollar plus homes in the area just east of Santa Barbara, some of which belong to celebrities. Montecito and Santa Barbara are popular California towns to vacation in, but this time of year, it’s the residents – the people who work hard and maintain the beautiful towns’ livability – who are there. I worry about them.

This fire just started at 5:50 PM last night (according to Bloomberg News). But it has spread super fast, because of the dry Fall season and the hot desert winds blowing in. Close to 4 miles have burned already, with no end in sight. Last night, the newschoppers showed the scary sight of so many houses – estates, really – totally gutted by the fire, and a small college (Westmont) lost dormitories and faculty homes as well.

This is scary stuff. I live south of Montecito, and the sky today is clear and blue – so unlike the scene around 75 miles north of me. The Santa Barbara Fire Department is working long and hard to extinguish the flames, of course, and I can only wish them safety and success. Santa Barbara County is one of the most beautiful and safest parts of Southern California to live. Here’s to the SBFD for working to keep it that way.

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November 14, 2008 | Filed Under Destinations, Luxury Travel, Travel News 

Comments

5 Responses to “Fire Destroying Homes in Santa Barbara County, California”

  1. MudslideMama says:
    November 14, 2008 at

    Also, a lot of fire departments from other parts of California have quickly made their way to Santa Barbara County to help put out this fire.

  2. Jacquie Childs says:
    November 14, 2008 at

    How can I find out if my brother’s house at 251 E. Mountain Drive survived the blaze? He is traveling and on his way there now.
    Thanks for any info.
    Jacquie

  3. jason says:
    November 14, 2008 at

    thats horrible

  4. MudslideMama says:
    November 15, 2008 at

    An update: I immediately emailed Jacquie Childs with an update, and a little while later heard back from her again. I hope her brother’s house has survived unscathed.

  5. CajunMama says:
    November 17, 2008 at

    Updates on the Tea Fire, which is the official wildfire name for this incident can be found at:
    http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/oes0.aspx?id=2332

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