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Santa Barbara Fires

Californians Seek Shelter in Hotels Near Montecito

November 14, 2008 at 9:05 AM | 0 Comments

Dangerous fires have broken out in a wealthy enclave of Santa Barbara, forcing several families to seek shelter in hotels. From the LA Times:

A fast-moving brush fire driven by 50- to 70-mph winds erupted Thursday night in the hills above Montecito in Santa Barbara County, burning at least 800 acres, destroying up to 80 homes and forcing evacuations of luxury neighborhoods, authorities said. The fire broke out about 6 p.m. in the wealthy Cold Springs area of Montecito, where a number of celebrities live, and quickly overwhelmed firefighters with its speed.

Families were checking into hotels like the Holiday Inn in Carpinteria and more are expected to find refuge in other hotels in the area.

Ironically, the NY Times had profiled Santa Barbara for its Sunday Travel section and had listed numerous hotel accommodations. We will try to update you throughout the day on whether more hotels in the area have been affected or not.