The Tea Fire in 2008 took 210 homes, the Jesusita Fire in 2008, 80 homes, the GAP fire also scorched 10,000 acres sending everyone packing for about 2.6 months while it burned the mountains behind Goleta and Gaviota. Less densely populated, it burned in the outback for a long time.
So losing 25 homes in Montecito is pretty minimal considering the enormity of this Thomas Fire. In total Tricounties' home losses soared to around 1200 homes since December 4.
We don't have insurance on our 20-acre cabin retreat property next door to the late Paul Walker's 160 acre ranch on Laguna Ridge above Carpinteria. All rebuilding costs will come out of our own pockets. We will go to container an adobe structures sometime next year.
All these losses translate into reinvesting in our communities. Several of my friends who've lost their properties are already relocated in rental properties while they work out the rebuilding with lenders and insurance companies...a lot of jobs have been created out of this horrific fire event, which is only 50% contained at 271,500 acres as of this morning. It grew 750 acres last night. Ojai, which is normally bustling with Christmas shoppers from all over is quiet, businesses shut their doors due to low traffic, bad air quality and dismal mood of the little community.
The hugest loss is the demise of Cory Iverson, a fire engineer from San Diego. We are saddened by his family's loss. There are no words to make this better for his sweet little family.
Fires are the new norm for CA. Fire is inevitable, especially in steep mountain areas where vegetation is thick and dry and very combustible. One of my neighbors here in the canyon bought a bulldozer for his 40 acres. We'll be talking to him about making some major fire breaks around our parcel. Last year we had a 50-acre parcel just over the hill when some illegal nationals were growing marijuana and their generator used to pump water from a creek to the grow threw a spark into the dry grass, catching major stately oak trees on fire. The fire was out in 4 hours. We have a new, more tooled and experienced fire fighting strategy these days More than 8500 firefighters are still here fighting this monster fire.
Things are things, people are more important. Can't replace people, pets.
There will be a lot of rebuilding, renovation and cleanup required. Several businesses have shut down altogether and ServePro and ServiceMaster on the job cleaning up, assessing infrastructure damage.
It's major. |
