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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Tea Fire - Santa Barbara is Burning Tonight





I took these photos during the 7:00 PM hour from the roof of my home in Santa Barbara. The sundowner winds are driving a the flames at up to 70 miles per hour.
Wind gusts and warm, dry conditions are forecast to continue through tonight.
The helicopters are in the air...we are told that a water dropping copter from LA is here and a chopper from SB County. The rest are media choppers

I saw SB County fire crews and engines surrounded by burning homes from an aerial picture on KCAL9 TV from LA. Fire started in the area above Sycamore Canyon/western Montecito.

AT 10:00 PM

Fire is totally out of control in suburban foothills. Areas below HWY 192 East Valley Road / Stanwood Dr / Hot Springs Rd. ordered evacuated. More current news
at CAL FIRE

Dozens of homes burned so far. The Riviera is burning. Fire crews are rushing in but they can't begin to stop the fire.

people are being cautioned to be ready to leave. We're asked to turn off the gas main before evacuating because homes are exploding.

We are safe at this time. But winds and fire will make the next several days very long. The same area burned in 1977 in the Sycamore Canyon Fire.

Before that, the area burned in the Coyote Firein September 1964. I sat on the couch in our living room as my family waited for the evacuation order which was delivered by a police officer who came to the door and told us to leave.

A night like tonight brings that all back.

Special thanks to Rincon broadcasting of Santa Barbara and KEYT Channel 3 for their excellent work tonight.

I happened to be listening to the radio when my old friend Peter Bie cut in with the first live report about 40 minutes after the fire took off. Great work Peter!

UPDATE 10:30

National Guard troops are ordering evacuation of homes on upper Gutierrez Street just below the Riviera neighborhood. Caller says portions of Botanic Garden (Mission Canyon) are burning.

UPDATE 11:50

Link to KTYD Live coverage

Link was busy on my last attempt but good local content

8 comments:

Tilly said...

The best place for information on the fire that I can find is http://crisiswire.com. They have maps, a Twitter feed, mainstream media and a bunch of other information. I just wanted to pass the information along so no one is left in the dark waiting for the media to report on your area.

Stay safe!!

John Quimby said...

Thanks tilly

John Quimby said...

Update at 11:35

Rincon Broadcasting report from fire department 70 homes destroyed,

Further evacuation ordered.

Unknown said...

I HOPE EVERY THING
WILL BE ALLRIGHT
SOOOOOOON

Anonymous said...

Here are some images I have shot tonight. Fire Departments are in full force right now.

They had at least 3 helicopters dropping water.

http://www.swanny338.com/tfire

Anonymous said...

Santa Barbara Fire!
watch video from witnesses:
http://tubedirects.net/index.php?q=Santa-Barbara-fire

John Quimby said...

Do not click on the video link from boig. It is a link to a virus.

do not open the video link or download any file from this link

John Quimby said...

norahaty:

Thanks for your kind thoughts.
We are well. No lives lost.
Homes can be rebuilt as they have been before.