Burned area 8,733 acres (35 km) Cost 20 million USD | Injuries 28 | |
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Date(s) May 5, 2009 (2009-05-05) – May 18, 2009 (2009-05-18) Cause Sparks off of trail clearing equipment Buildingsdestroyed 80 homes79 outbuildings1 commercial | ||
Jesusita fire breakout part 1 5 6 09
The Jesusita Fire was a wildfire that started on May 5, 2009 in the hills of Santa Barbara, California in the western United States. By the time the fire was contained on May 18 it had burned 8,733 acres (35.34 km2), destroyed 80 homes and damaged 15 more before being 100% contained. The cause of the fire was ultimately traced to local contractors who had been clearing a trail using a weed wacker without proper permits.
Contents
- Jesusita fire breakout part 1 5 6 09
- Jesusita fire santa barbara may 6 2009
- Events
- Effects
- Investigation
- References
Jesusita fire santa barbara may 6 2009
Events
The fire began at approximately 1:45 PM on May 5, along the Jesusita Trail just below Cathedral Peak in the Santa Barbara foothills. Within a mater of hours the fire had crown to 150 acres (0.61 km2) with 50-mile-per-hour (80 km/h) sundowner winds expected. Officials issued mandatory evacuations for approximately 1,200 homes in the hills above Santa Barbara.
By Monday May 8, the fire perimeter extended from west of Highway 154, in the hills burned in the 1990 Painted Cave Fire, across the front country of the Santa Ynez Mountains east through Mission Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon, and into the hills above Montecito, reaching the area burned by the Gap Fire in July 2008 and the Tea Fire in November 2008. Intense sundowner winds caused the fire to spread rapidly during evening and nighttime hours during its first three days.
The fire was fully contained on May 18 after having burned 8,733 acres (35.34 km2) and destroying 80 homes.
Effects
An estimated 35,000 people were forced to evacuate during the fire. The Red Cross had shelters for evacuees at the Multi-Activity Court located in the UCSB Recreational Center. From May 5 to May 9, 2009, evacuees were also sheltered at San Marcos High School in Goleta.
Much of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was destroyed on the night of May 7.
Investigation
On December 11, 2009 charges were filed against Craig Ilenstine and Dana Larsen citing them for operating a weed whacker without a required hot work permit. The two were not charged with the felony of actually started the fire, but instead with the misdemeanor of not obtaining the proper permit for hot work.
In July 2010, Ilenstine and Larsen plead no contest to the misdemeanor violation of county-code. The code states that anyone performing work that could spark a fire must have a shovel or fire extinguisher on hand. The two were each sentenced to 250 hours of community service, three years probation and a $490 fine.
A year later, in July 2011, 60 of the owners of homes destroyed by the fire filed a civil lawsuit against Stihl Incorporated, the manufacturer of the brush-cutting equipment, alleging that Stihl failed to warn users that the metal blades of the cutter could emit sparks capable of starting a fire in a high-risk area. In July 2013 Stihl agreed to settle the claims for an undisclosed amount of money.