Burned area 1,940 acres (8 km) Motive Bonfire party Total fatalities Potentially 1 | Perpetrator(s) 10 college students Start date November 13, 2008 Injuries 13 | |
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Land use Residential; Open space Cost 5.7 million USD (2008 USD) | ||
Santa barbara tea fire
The Tea Fire was a wildfire that began on November 13, 2008, destroying 210 homes in the cities of Montecito and Santa Barbara, California in the United States of America. It was the first of several November 2008 wildfires that burned hundreds of homes November 13–15, 2008. The Tea Fire ignited in the Cold Springs section of Montecito at approximately 17:50 PST on November 13, 2008. The fire started at a Mar Y Cel historic structure called the "Tea House" above Mountain Drive, giving the fire its name. Spreading rapidly, it was fanned by offshore winds, known as Sundowners that blow down the Santa Ynez Mountains, gusting up to 85 mph (113 km/h). These winds caused the fire to spread into the city of Santa Barbara. The fire was 40% contained on the 15th, 75% on the 16th, and by November 17, 2008 it was 95% contained after burning 1,940 acres (7.9 km2), and on November 18, it was 100% contained.
Contents
- Santa barbara tea fire
- Tea fire
- Cause
- Injuries and evacuations
- Destruction of 210 homes
- Westmont College
- Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery
- References
On November 15, 2008, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited areas burned in the Tea Fire, noting: "When you walk around the area that was destroyed, it looks like hell."
Tea fire
Cause
The cause of the fire was under investigation for the first four days when authorities determined on November 17 that it was "human caused". The following day, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office investigators announced that the fire was caused by a group of ten men and women, age 18 to 22, college students, who went to the abandoned Tea House on the night of Wednesday, November 12 and held a bonfire party at the location, through the early morning hours of Thursday, November 13. The students told investigators they had put the fire out, but authorities believe the fire smoldered until the heavy winds ignited the fire on Thursday afternoon.
On November 20, 2008, Dr. Andreea M. Serban, President of Santa Barbara City College, issued a statement noting that "nine of the ten individuals identified as allegedly responsible for the Tea Fire have been confirmed as Santa Barbara City College students." That same day, Dr Gayle Beebe, president of Westmont College, noted in a press release the college's relief to learn that none of the ten were enrolled at Westmont.
Although the individuals were found guilty of trespassing and holding an illegal bonfire, there was not enough evidence to convict them of starting the blaze. "After a months-long investigation by several agencies, the District Attorney’s Office decided it could only charge the group with the misdemeanor crimes, unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the campfire they had started - and, according to group members, extinguished - more than 12 hours earlier had led to the Tea Fire."
Injuries and evacuations
Santa Barbara County officials stated that they had reports of 13 persons injured, including 10 who were treated for smoke inhalation and three with burn injuries, one of which was critical. There is a foundation for two burn victims of the fire, Lance & Carla Hoffman. Information on this foundation including benefits and donations can be found on Facebook's group "Tea Fire Survivors: Lance and Karla Hoffman". The fire resulted in the evacuation of 5,400 homes with 15,000 residents. Approximately 2,700 evacuees were back home by the November 16, 2008. There was one fatality amongst the evacuees, a 98-year-old man, though the county sheriff-coroner had not ascertained yet if the death was due to the fire or his multiple medical problems.
Destruction of 210 homes
The Tea Fire resulted in the destruction of 210 homes in Montecito and Santa Barbara. Of the destroyed homes, 106 were in the city of Santa Barbara, and the remainder were in Montecito. One of the homes destroyed in the fire belonged to actor Christopher Lloyd (best known for playing "Doc" Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy). Another was the home of TV producer Marcy Carsey.
Television personality Oprah Winfrey owns a 42-acre (170,000 m2) estate in the area. She began her Friday, November 14 The Oprah Winfrey Show talking about the fire and her concern for neighbors. Winfrey's house was spared, but Winfrey noted, "From now on I'll have so much more empathy and compassion for people who are going through it."
Westmont College
The campus of Westmont College was heavily damaged, though no injuries were reported on the campus. The college's advance planning for a shelter-in-place was credited with this favorable human outcome. 800 people (students, employees, visitors and neighbors) hunkered down in the gymnasium as the fire burned to within ten feet. The Physics Lab, Psychology Building, Math Building, and 15 of the faculty homes were destroyed. Two of the residence hall buildings in Clark residence hall were completely gutted, along with the RD cottage. With the recovery phase initiated over the weekend, faculty and staff were allowed back on campus November 17, but the school was scheduled to remain closed to students until December 1.
Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery
The Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery in Santa Barbara, part of the Order of the Holy Cross, was also destroyed.