Victims of Tea Fire See Damage for First Time
The fast-moving fire spread quickly overnight, daylight unveils the damage
John Cadiz Klemack
Payne Green lost his home in the Tea Fire, his second such tragedy after losing his home in another wildfire here in 1977. (November 14, 2008)
MONTECITO - The sunrise over Montecito on any other day is gorgeous. Today, though, the lights opens the eyes to the horrors of the night before.
Michael Dora lives up Sycamore Canyon Drive. A phone call to family members was reassuring: "It's pretty devastating, the smoke damage is out of control. But we're okay on the southern part of the canyon."
This area is no stranger to fire. In 1977, a huge blaze tore through some 200 homes. One of them belonged to retired police officer Payne Green. By noon Friday he had heard the news it had happened again.
"I've been through it once before," he says, "you just have to pick the pieces and carry on."
The speed of the fire is what surprised most residents. Helga Carden was having a dinner party with friends. She said no one knew what was going on until another neighbor came knocking. She turned on the television and saw the news broadcasts. Then she said she stepped outside.
"It really moved so fast," she said. She was told to evacuate by ten o'clock Thursday night and then said she was so upset, she had to sit by the beach for a few hours before heading to the evacuation center at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara.
More than 200 evacuees were there Thursday night. By breakfast on Friday, just 100 remained, many of them finally able to see what was left of their homes.
This area in Montecito has long been known as a peaceful, beautiful piece of earth. After Thursday night's fire, the beauty is harder to see.
Michael Dora says, as a homeowner, he understands the risk.
"It's the disadvantage of living in Santa Barbara, it's a wonderful place to live but you have to pay a price to live here."
