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Officials List Addresses Destroyed in Tea Fire
A preliminary estimate of homes destroyed in the Tea Fire was put at 210 and authorities released the much-anticipated list of those addresses Saturday. As of Sunday morning, more than 2,200 firefighters were deployed against the 3-day-old blaze, which has burned 1,940 acres and is now 40 percent contained.
At a Saturday afternoon news conference of the Santa Barbara County Joint Incident Command, Santa Barbara fire Chief Ron Prince said a partial list of addresses was available on the Web sites of Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Barbara. The list will be updated as information is collected.
(Click here to see a partial list, and click here to view a preliminary map detailing which homes are lost.)
County emergency officials are requesting that all evacuees register with the American Red Cross-Santa Barbara County Chapter’s Safe and Well Program. Call 805.687.1331 to register your evacuation status, or register in person at the Red Cross emergency shelter at San Marcos High, 4750 Hollister Ave.
The fire ignited about 5:50 p.m. Thursday at the Tea House above East Mountain Drive near Coyote Road in the Montecito foothills. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and authorities are asking anyone with information to call the Sheriff’s Department anonymous tip line at 805.681.4171.
One death has been linked indirectly to the fire and there have been a score of injuries, including three burn injuries and 22 more cases of smoke inhalation.
“That’s about the same number as the Sycamore Canyon Fire in 1976,” Prince said of the blaze, which burned in roughly the same area.
Prince said cooler weather has helped firefighters gain control of 40 percent of the fire’s perimeter, which has scorched 1,940 acres but whose footprint is essentially unchanged from Friday: Las Canoas Road on the west, Cold Spring Canyon on the east, Rattlesnake Canyon on the north and Alameda Padre Serra on the south.
As of Sunday morning, mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for the following areas:
Eastern Boundary
» Cold Springs Road between Sycamore Canyon Road and East Mountain Drive
» Sycamore Canyon at Chelham Way (The neighborhood of Chelham, Dawlish Place, Paso Robles Drive and Stoddard Lane are open)
» Canon View Road at Sierra Vista Road
Southern Boundary
» Sycamore Canyon Road at the Five Points roundabout. (Residents on the north side of Sycamore Canyon will be allowed back in with identification.)
Western Boundary
» Las Alturas Road at Alameda Padre Serra
» Loma Media Road at Las Alturas
» Las Alturas at Conejo Road
» Stanwood Drive at Mission Ridge Road
» Stanwood at El Cielito Road
» Mountain Drive at El Cielito
» East Gibralter Road at El Cielito
» Mount Calvary Road at El Cielito
Northern Boundary
» East Camino Cielo between Painted Cave and Gibraltar roads
Roadblocks remain in effect at the following locations:
» East Mountain Drive at Cold Springs Road
» Cold Springs at La Paz Road (moved north from Cold Springs at Sycamore Canyon Road)
» Sycamore Canyon at Chelham Way
» Canon View Road at Sierra Vista Road
» Sycamore Canyon Road at the Five Points roundabout (The slide area is open to residents only.)
» Las Alturas Road at Alameda Padre Serra
» Loma Media Road at Las Alturas Road
» Las Alturas at Conejo Road
» Stanwood Drive at Mission Ridge Road
» El Cielito Road at Stanwood Drive
» East Mountain Drive at El Cielito
» Mount Calvary Road at El Cielito
Although 1,100 residents were allowed to return to their homes Saturday as evacuation orders were modified, more than 4,000 evacuees remain displaced from the burn area and its vicinity. Officials said residents’ frustration is understandable and they emphasized that the recovery effort is proceeding as quickly as possible.
“We are working very diligently to try to get people back into their homes,” Sheriff Bill Brown said. “We understand the frustration and the desire to get out of shelters, hotels and and friends’ homes, but it’s not safe.
“People who live in the burn area may be days away from being allowed to return,” he added. “It’s essentially like a combat zone. There are properties that have been destroyed, they need to be inventoried, and search and rescue has to go through and examine them.”
Montecito fire Chief Kevin Wallace expressed gratitude for the quick response of nearby fire departments, which responded within minutes of the first report of the blaze.
“Ventura County immediately sent 10 engines without even being asked,” Wallace said. “Los Padres (National Forest) sent everything on its own.”
Santa Barbara police Chief Cam Sanchez assured residents that officers would continue round-the-clock patrols to ensure that neighborhoods are safe and secure.
Looking ahead to the rebuilding process, Michael Zimmer, the county’s chief building inspector, said seven “strike teams” of inspectors already have been determining the safety of affected structures. He said he expected the assessments to be complete by Sunday.
In describing the process, Zimmer said red tags indicate a structure is unfit to be occupied; yellow tags allow limited entry, meaning residents will be allowed in to retrieve belongings; and green tags mean residents are cleared to return, pending the approval of police and fire agencies.
Meanwhile, Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum said the city is developing plans to streamline the review process with “as-built” plans.
Blum said updated fire information is available at kiosks located at Paseo Nuevo; Trader Joe’s, 29 S. Milpas St.; and outside Cox Communications at Loreto Plaza on the corner of State Street and Las Positas Road.
Homes weren’t the only casualties. The renowned Mount Calvary Retreat House & Monastery, 2500 Mount Calvary Road, was destroyed and Westmont College, 955 La Paz Road, had a harrowing brush with the blaze.
Westmont lost at least 15 faculty homes and nine structures, including four of the 17 buildings that make up Clark Halls (F, G, M and S), Bauder Hall, the physics building, the old math building and two Quonset huts. Students remained safely on campus, sequestered in Murchison Gymnasium.
“We’re so thankful everyone is out of danger and that there were no injuries,” Westmont president Gayle Beebe said Friday. “But we’re deeply saddened that 15 of our faculty families — and one retired professor — have lost their homes. Given the strength of the winds and the fire, we’re amazed the damage isn’t greater.”
Write to wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com
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» on 11.15.08 @ 03:26 PM
Could these disasters, (the California wild fires, the Oregon floods, etc.)be God’s wrath visited on a sinful nation for their endorsement, support, and election of the Anti-christ as the next president of the United States?
» on 11.15.08 @ 04:38 PM
Hobo Joe, I may not say it so strongly, but the thought has crossed my mind.
» on 11.15.08 @ 04:50 PM
Why are you people so crazy and have such angry view of so much? If god were doling out retributions, he’d be pissed at you for invoking such hatred and anger in his name.
» on 11.15.08 @ 04:57 PM
No
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:05 PM
to hobo Joe….........ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm No.
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:06 PM
Would that be the same ‘God’ as in “‘GOOD GOD’ you’re an IDIOT!” Get over yourself, and try and understand what these people must be going thru. (and get your sorry right-wing head out of your rear)
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:06 PM
Hobo Joe - You really need to see a shrink dude. You’re severly whacked! I think you’ve been watching too much Oprah…
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:08 PM
I agree. And you add in Katrina, Rita, the Mississippi floods, the tornados in the midwest and the droughts of the west these past 7 years and it really does look like Bush could be the anti-christ.
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:09 PM
I doubt it, these fires and floods happen every year, they just happen to be getting a lot of coverage this time because of the location. Also religion is nothing more than a set of myths believed to be true by ignorant, small minded, and uneducated people.
» on 11.15.08 @ 05:11 PM
In Texas, I’ve seen it spelled, “McFadden.”
Sterling Greenwood, publisher
Aspen Free Press
409 E. Cooper Mall
Aspen, Co., 81611
970-544-FREE
http://www.aspenfreepress.com
[Editor’s note: That must be the branch of the family that doesn’t know how to spell. :) ]
» on 11.15.08 @ 09:20 PM
The news release that I just read had nothing to do about the President elect, a sinful nation or God’s wrath ,,,. How incredibly self centered of Hobo Joe to take his personal issues & try to relate them to the fire. Hundreds of people are facing complete devastation on all levels, thousands of emerg personnel are still risking their lives, and,.. honestly; I don’t think any of them or most people are concerned with which Political Party that they may be affiliated with. I am suggesting that hobo joe should consider using a more appropriate website to air his comments. This disaster is in my Community; My guess is hobo doesn’t live in the area! respectfully
» on 11.16.08 @ 05:10 AM
The information regarding evacuation warnings is outdated.
» on 11.16.08 @ 05:45 AM
Excellent information, and Art Fisher’s photo is incredible.
» on 11.16.08 @ 06:02 AM
Dear Editor,
I think there comes a time when, as Editor of a very fine on-line Newspaper, should consider that some of these comments submitted are just plain idiotic, mindless, selfish, and way off track.
Many of our neighbors, friends and family have lost homes. A local couple (the Hoffman’s) are clinging to life.
Some of these comments do nothing except lower the quality of what you have worked so hard to provide us - good quality unbiased journalism.
[Editor’s note: I take your point but we’re counting on readers like you to call them on it. This is a community project.]
» on 11.16.08 @ 06:34 AM
Dear Mr. Hobo Joe,
I can say, with complete confidence, that my God would never be so cruel to the people he loves so very much. I’m sorry that your relationship with him is based on fear, that is such a man-made, man controlling, archaic way of thinking. I’m sorry that you can’t look at the disaster as an opportunity to become a better person, to think outside of yourself, and step into the light of humangiving… WE are all on earth for one purpose, that is to grow sprirtually, to learn to love our neighbors, with their differences and unique walks of life. I can only pray that that by the time you’ll be standing before God and he asks “How did you leave the world a better place” you will have put down your sword and picked-up the olive branch and spread love, understanding and light throughout your life.
» on 11.16.08 @ 08:17 AM
It always amazes me that every year we go through this fire disaster scenario all over the country, spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year to fight these fires.
What I have never understood is why, for the cost of just one B-1 Stealth Bomber (1.2 billion) we as a country do not have a national fleet of 30-50 air tankers specifically for emergencies like this. These planes could be strategically located throughout the country at air force bases and be on the ready to be anywhere within
an hour. The damage to people, land, homes, and all the huge expenses associated with these major fires could be quickly avoided.
And Hobo Joe, get a life.
» on 11.16.08 @ 12:07 PM
As you waste your time and ours Hobo Joe, two of my friends are in a medically induced coma at a Medical Center in Irvine because of the burns they received from the Tea Fire. Your ridiculous comment is a waste of space, and I’m going to hazard a guess that most of the time you are a waste of oxygen. I have no hesitation as I say, for the love of My God, please do not procreate.
» on 11.17.08 @ 09:40 AM
To everyone responding to Hobo Joe:
Please don’t feed the trolls; it only makes them grow.
Instead, write about how you support the families who have lost everything and then go do something will help the community, even if it is very small. Help a friend, donate some food, some clothing, some time to a worth while cause. By your actions, you will prove the cynics (and Hobo Joe) wrong.
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