" there are 58,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County, after a count that was done in May, a 23 percent increase from the number last year."
…I guess the increase coincides with making America great again… a nation is judged by how they treat their old, sick and poor… or something like that. That should include veterans, disabled, mentally ill, and American Indians too.
In the meantime, it’s Sunday morning and things are looking up: as one firefighter so cryptically stated" “if the wind had kept up, this whole town would have been torched”.
They held the fire at the top of Camino Cielo. There are now over 8,500 firefighters on the scene, 34 helicopters with pilots rotating after a maximum of 6 hour shifts, many of them par tof the national Guard or veterans that have flown thousands of combat missions. “We are flying a different type of combat now, which is incredibly dangerous as you are flying LOWER at 400 to 800 feet”.
Hwy 154 is closed indefinitely, to allow free movement to and from Cachuma Lake campgrounds for ground crews to shower, relax and rest between shifts. 269,000 acres and 1.020 structures have burned as this fire continues to approach its quest to become the #1 fire in California history. Air quality has improved throughout the area, and there is optimism that the worst has been thrown at us with current containment at 40%. Projected containment is for January 7th at time of this posting.
Big winds to hit Ventura today… 40 to 70 mph up on the ridges… another high wind scenario forecast for Wednesday. Some slight chance of rainfall (20%) about ten days out.
Photo: view of the Thomas Fire as seen from space.
The Thomas Fire has become the 2nd largest fire in California fire history.
It’s now Wed. Dec. 20th. Containment has reached 60%, total cost of fighting the fire about $150 mil. Expected 100% containment January 8th.
Over 1,000 homes & structures were lost with two fatalities: a 70 yr, old woman that passed away that was found in her car during the act of evacuating, and 32 yr. old San Diego firefighter, husband, and expecting father Cory Iverson that was overcome while setting a back fire to a portion of the fire on the eastern flank. Cory is survived by his wife, two year old daughter, and was expecting another child in the spring.
From out of the frying pan & into the fire… so to speak. In the wake of the Thomas Fire, the rains have arrived, much heavier than expected. Many Montecito residents chose to stay in their homes. The deluge hit around 4 A.M. as many slept. 5 unlucky souls have died. Stories are flowing in of numerous rescues & near fatal events taking place. A tornado came through and obliterated homes, large homes, mansions off their foundations. Trapped residents are being rescued by Search & Rescue dogs along with high clearance, military vehicles that can get thru several feet of mud and debris. A bridge is gone along with power lines blacking out all of Montecito. Utilities have been shut down after electrical lines ignited broken gas lines causing sporadic spot fires. US 101 is closed at Sea Cliff. Northbound travelers need to reroute onto Hwy 126 to Interstate 5. The sh-t has hit the fan for the New Year.
Tragedy in Montecito. Bodies swept away from homes in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire. Death toll rises to 6 as more & more stories pour in recounting harrowing moments that could have ended in heartbreak.
Search & Rescue dogs are on the scene sniffing out and saving survivors as support teams pull victims from the rubble. Hooray for the S&R Dogs! (Cadaver dogs come later ).
Surfers respect & understand the power of water and Mother Nature from years of experience.
Many residents were weary of evacuation from the Thomas Fire and seriously underestimated what could happen in the aftermath.
As it stands, at latest count 100 homes are demolished with 300 seriously damage… the death toll is rising and will most likely continue to rise. Some of the missing may never be found. Being a native Santa Barbaran, I lived in at least three homes in the areas hardest hit. I feel for the residents in all the areas that have been displaced by this natural disaster.
It’s human nature to hope for the best, to want to stay in your home with everything that is familiar around you, or to feel as though you can fight the intrusion that comes your way… to protect ‘your castle’. Some of them thought they could get out at the last second only to find that you can’t out run a wall of mud, branches & boulders moving at fifty miles per hour.
I was born in Santa Barbara, and I have NEVER seen anything that even gets close to the scale of this disaster.
More visuals. At the time of this posting, 17 dead, 17 reported missing. A total list of names of the deceased are being held until authorities are sure they have them right and next of kin are notified. Two individuals are definite known personalities and have been disclosed. Well known power realtor Rebecca Riskin was one of the named decedents (2nd to bottom foto)… Roy Rohter, former real estate broker and founder of St. Augustine Academy in Ventura was the first victim to be identified (bottom pic).
U.S. Hwy 101 is closed until Monday both North & South. Cal Trans is working hard to open alternative routes asap. Search & Rescue dogs recovered three victims today that are receiving follow up care at local hospitals. Island Packers and Condor Express are running commuter shuttles between Ventura & Santa Barbara Harbors starting at 7 AM each morning. Google their websites for more information. http://islandpackers.com/ventura-santa-barbara-emergency-shuttle-information-page/
That’s astounding. For 4 years I was a letter carrier (mailman) in Montecito, and I recognize all those places. Mickey Dora’s dad used to live at the beach where the highway was closed by mud. Montecito is a beautiful hillside community, I would never have imagined this. Just unbelievable. Wishing the best for all those affected.
As of this morning, the missing person has dropped from 17 to 8. They confirmed that the 9 have rejoined family members versus the unthinkable. There was a clerical error that had that number at 48 but when it was discovered, they quickly corrected the mistake. The total dead remains at 17.
I find it rather remarkable that only 17 were missing given the magnitude of what has happened. There are 13 Search & Rescue dogs scouring the hardest hit areas then working outwards from there. Some of those areas require air drop entries because roads are impassable due to boulders, debris or destruction. There are crumpled cars all the way down to Hammond’s beach! The train tracks have been covered with mud, debris and boulders as well as the freeway, which Cal Trans is “hoping” to have north & south lanes opened by Monday.
There is no other natural disaster event that surpasses the severity of this in recorded Montecito history. The downtown section is inundated with mud and debris, crushed cars that had washed down or were hit by boulders! The force of the water that moved rocks weighing TONS is just mind bending!
Gas mains, downed electrical line, spot fires resulting from those compromised systems make the area resemble “a war zone”. Utilities were shut off as soon as possible to minimize further compromise to homes and the area, which means those still trapped lack heat, water, and communication unless they have some gas driven back up generator or wood burning stoves or fireplaces. Local stores have run out of grocery supplies in Summerland and other areas although Vons in Montecito somehow was able to restock their shelves for Montecito residents that can get to their store along Coast Village Road.
The high surf warning was in place yesterday but a clearing wind was creating rough water as well as a good amount of pollution and debris was a factor. “Island Packers” and “Condor Express” were running shuttles from SB to Ventura Harbors, but many opted out because they were sure they would get seasick. A lot of people are just hunkered down and going nowhere.
It’s a mess… a real mess… and it is going to take a long time before anything starts to look like it did before the whip came down.
There have 4 PM press conferences from Earl Warren Showgrounds each day offering updates and answering questions. Today was particularly poignant when Sheriff Brown read off the names and ages of the 17 deceased to date. Four of them were children starting at the age of three years old and spanning to 86.
The Army Corps of engineers is moving in with 100 pieces of equipment and the mandatory perimeter is being expanded to allow them more access in their attempt to put Montecito back together. The next two weeks will be busy around the clock while dry weather forecasts ensue.
Another body had been located in a mud filled home and crews were working to remove it before darkness fell. There will more than likely be more as secondary searches and inspections ensue throughout the 30 square miles of devastation.
A house is little defense against a ton plus boulder that’s gained momentum rolling down the mountain with the force of water helping it… they are finding houses with holes blasted through them. “War zone” is a pretty apt description.
Mother Nature, indeed. All of this reminds me the tenuous nature of life and to be sure to hug and tell your loved ones that you love them, etc, etc. Mike
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