That Santa Barbara wildfire is spreading

[malaise]

Mega mansions are burning down. I feel nothing but sympathy for all the homeowners.

[Captain Hilts]

1. It's terrible. nt

[Tikki]

2. Thank you...because they deserve all the sympathy they can get...

To lose a home, however it may happen, is a tragedy.

Tikki

[malaise]

7. Watching and waiting

[AndyA]

3. It's very sad.

I know there are things that can be done to make these homes more resistant to fire, but it would seem a lot of them aren't. It really takes a lot away from the quality of living in California. No place is without its share of natural and man-made disasters, but with the fires, earthquakes, slides, and everything else California does seem to have more than its fair share.

I hope they can put an end to this fire quickly. It's very sad, sending good thoughts to all the good people in California.

[crazylikafox]

4. Do you have a good news source for that?

My daughter lives near there & I'm looking for a good link to follow it.

[malaise]

5. Here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30594933/

[Howardx]

6. LA tv

http://cbs2.com/

http://www.ktla.com/

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/index

good coverage.

[crazylikafox]

9. thanks

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. Santa Barbars is an incredibly beautiful...

area. This news makes me very, very sad. :cry: The whole town has been devastated once before (earthquake?) around the turn of the century -- it was after that, they decided to rebuild the town with the classic Sanata Barbara look of white houses with red tile roofs.

I hope the winds calm down and the marine layer sweeps in and helps the situation for the firefighters.

[mix]

10. my hometown :( n/t

[omega minimo]

11. so sorry. do you know of good links/maps for accurate idea of location and spread?

News on TV is too vague for "locals" :grouphug:

[mix]

12. I saw this one, google map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&start=0&num=200&msa=0&msid=117631292961056724014.00046949ab968657977c9&ll=34.465523,-119.740677&spn=0.152851,0.241013&z=12

[omega minimo]

13. holy moly. thanks for the info.

:cry:

[mix]

16. that google map is helpful, it's updated

the fire is moving west and has jumped 154

[omega minimo]

18. Just checked "Terrain View" Map says fire is at San Marcos Pass

Had to see what you call "west" down there with the coast twisting around....

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&start=0&num=200&msa=0&msid=117631292961056724014.00046949ab968657977c9&ll=34.465523,-119.740677&spn=0.152851,0.241013&z=12

[mix]

23. the south facing mountains and beaches are unique

as are the east west running valleys behind the city...the fire is moving into Montecito apparently

[tabatha]

14. Three fires in ten months.

The Jesusita fire is burning the area not burned by the Gap and Tea fires.

Hundred foot flames currently today
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/may/08/hundred-flames/

Map with all mandated evacuation areas:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=p&source=embed&msa=0&msid=108510746465180044244.00046932582acf7389e31&ll=34.459154,-119.714584&spn=0.084924,0.102997&z=13

Best online radio - with updates all day
http://www.ktyd.com/main.php

[kestrel91316]

15. It isn't just the megamansions. And you can't go by the stated dollar value

of homes there in assuming what burns. A tiny tarpaper shack will go for $1m in the city proper.

[Hekate]

17. Thanks Kestrel. The fire has chewed through San Roque, which features modest-sized homes...

When a Realtor advertises a "San Roque charmer" you know two things about it already: it's small, and it costs a fortune.

Two hundred homes were already lost in the Tea Fire; in some places where this one is burning they had just begun to rebuild. We were threatened by the Gap Fire -- dh hoped that meant the fuel was gone and we'd be safer, but no such luck. The fire chief announced that the new growth is now crispy. We can see from the map where the new fire overlaps with the old burn from the Gap Fire.

This being the Central Coast, there are rich people with rich people's houses. But the vast majority of us are just normal people living in an abnormally skewed real estate market.

Hekate

[malaise]

19. Yep several other homes are burning as well

but I was watching a massive home burn when I posted this thread.
When you have to pack and leave it must be painful regardless of the size of your home.

I'll take six months of hurricane threats over fire any day of the week.

[KamaAina]

20. Isn't it kind of unusual to have a fire of this magnitude in May?

I thought the peak of fire season was early fall, after the dry season had had a few months to get going. :scared:

[blaze]

21. This just hurts my heart

I've lived in my home since '85 and I would be heartbroken to lose it.

It ain't much, but it's mine.

Thinking of all in harms way. :hug:

[underpants]

22. Was Pelosi briefed on this and why didn't she stop it?

:shrug: