Fire in Santa Barbara/Montecito

Have the Santa Ana's started up that way already? Sounds like it. Get ready for a fun weekend. Good luck to all up that way.

 

I just turned on KCal 9 that is out of control.

 

If the wind will stay this strong - it's gonna be interesting.
It just spread so ridiculously fast.

 

I lived in Santa Barbara during the Painted Cave fire in 1990 and was out by Goleta when I heard of the fire and I couldn't get through the smoke and flames on the highway to get to my house downtown. I was on a '67 Triumph and thought I was going to melt - have never felt heat like that. Had to turn back and exit the freeway by going up an on ramp. People were totally freaking out trying to get off the freeway.

I hope all of you are able to get to your homes and loved ones and/or evacuate safely.

 

I'm in Montecito, but thankfully the fire is going away from me and I'm not evacuated. They keep showing my friends house on the news though, it's gone. Such a tragedy....

 

+rcallahan - Hope you're out of harm's way Bob.

 

Dang! Sad to hear this. Hope everyone is ok.

 

Thanks for thinking of me and other Montecito residents Jason. Last night I watched the fire from my house. It was about 2 miles away on Mountain Dr and the wind was carrying the burning embers straight toward the house at about 60 MPH! After about 45 minutes the wind shifted and it look like the fire would go toward down town SB. I thought I could relax and go to bed. Then about 1230 I was awakened to the SB police buzzing the gate and using the loudspeakers to notify everyone on my street that there was an immediate MANDITORY EVACUATION! There were houses on fire within 1/2 mile of the house. I left the Ferrari, loaded up what I could in two other cars and went to a friends house.

I just returned and my house is still here! Yet, the fire is still out of control and it seems to be basically in the same spot as last night. Now I'm hoping that we don't have the Santa Ana winds tonight.

Bob

 

Were OK as well, were home now but thinking about spending the night with the in-laws in Carp just so we don't have to be ready to bolt all night. I'm worried this fire's going to do what it did last night tonight. We're lower Rivera by the County bowl. For some reason we were told by an officer about 8:30 last night manditory evac although no reports on TV said that was the case. So we bolted, we were packed up already, and stayed at some good friends house. Calm today but I'm worried about tonight, its right over the next hill. Got the Fcar at our friends, needed it anyway to maximize the packing in the SUV. I was on a temp tire unfortunately as I am refinishing a wheel so Ill have to deal with that hopefully tommorow. Thanks all for your concern, most important thing is everyone's family and loved ones and pets are safe.

Hopefully winds remain calm tonight but I heard Ventura County Santa Ana's to 65 mph. Hopefully no flares ups down south. Be safe everyone involved and good luck.

Jeff

 

I hope everyone is alright. I'm praying for you.

Everytime I hear of the fires or quakes I immediately think about fchatters.

God Bless.

 

Looks good tonight so far, no wind at my home and I could see the moon coming up over the hills unlike yesterday. Hopefully this continues, I ended up staying home.

Jeff

 

Just got back from a SCUBA trip out of Santa Barbara. We could see two small fire flare ups in the hills last night when we stood on Stearn's Wharf.

This afternoon the air was clear and no visible sign of smoke in SB.
LA was a different story...

 

No problems up in Santa Maria. Hope everyone in SB is OK.

 

Sorry to hear about your friends house.