CA-MTO - "Tea" Wildfire

Brush fire breaks out in hills above Montecito

The blaze forces evacuations and damages some structures in the wealthy Santa Barbara County community, authorities say.

By Catherine Saillant
8:33 PM PST, November 13, 2008

Reporting from Montecito -- A fast-moving brush fire driven by 60- to 70-mph winds erupted in the hills above Montecito in Santa Barbara County, forcing evacuations of some large luxury homes and destroying some structures, authorities said.

The fire broke out about 6 p.m. in the Cold Springs area of Montecito, an area that is home to film stars and other wealthy residents. The fire was moving southwest, according to Geri Ventura, a spokesman for the Montecito Fire Department.

Fire departments from Santa Barbara County, the city of Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria were battling the blaze, along with the California Department of Forestry and other agencies. About 100 firefighters were deployed, Ventura said. State Highway 192 was closed between Cold Springs Road and Hot Springs Road.

Ventura said she did not know how many homes had been lost. An evacuation center has been set up at San Marcos High School, and students at nearby Westmont College were told to gather in the campus gym.

In the hills of Montecito, residents of the darkened streets lit only by the glow from the burning brush could be seen packing up cars and talking with each other. Horse trailers and Porsches snaked their way down narrow, winding mountain roads. The scent of burning eucalyptus filled the air.

Source Article: Los Angeles Times
Saillant is a Times staff writer.

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From Fox News:

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A brush fire broke out in the hills above the tony enclave of Montecito on Thursday, forcing some evacuations as gusting winds threatened to spread the blaze further.

The fire began shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday in the foothills five miles south of Santa Barbara, and several fire departments responded to the scene. It was not clear if anyone was injured or any structures were destroyed.

Geri Ventura, a spokesman for the Montecito Fire Department, said she did not know how much land had burned, but television images showed the fire had expanded to dozens of acres.

Gusts were being clocked as high as 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

KEYT-TV reported that power lines were down and many residents were evacuating. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and students at Westmont College were told to gather in the school's gym.

Montecito has long been a hideaway for the rich and famous where multimillion homes have ocean views. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey owns a 42-acre estate and the landmark Montecito Inn was built in the 1920s by Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle.