Posted on 05/07/2009 6:46:33 PM PDT by Justaham
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Paradise is not lost, but it's in flames — again. The seasonal wildfires that menace this idyllic coastal city roared to life earlier than usual but with all-too-familiar ferocity, burning mansions to their foundations and forcing more than 13,000 to flee. Dozens of homes were destroyed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
"I knew it was time to leave," said Tom Morse, 62, a day after he dusted off his motorhome as the fire neared his Mission Canyon Heights house. "I could see the flames getting close."
The 1,300-acre (2.03-square mile) fire was just the latest to ravage the area known as the American Riviera, home to screen stars, former presidents and Oprah Winfrey. The blaze reached the burn area of another wildfire that just six months ago destroyed about 200 homes in Santa Barbara and Montecito.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
local KSBW news flash - 2200 acres burned, at least 20 homes destroyed
that is so sad.
Santa Barbara experienced destructive fires in 1964, 1977, and 1990. Driving through a neighborhood hit by the Painted Cave fire in 1990 reminded me of newsreel images of cities in Germany and Japan that were bombed out during WWII.
I thought Santa Barbara/Montecito was jsut hit by fire as recently as 6 months ago.
Prayers for all the Firefighters, First Responders, Air Support, the Homeowners fighting to save their beloved homes. May God protect them all!
Why doesn’t california just keep the brush cut back?
Maybe the California Dummies should quit building in those canyons, that have time and again proved to be wind tunnels.
Maybe those homes have been there for years. Should they tear them down?
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