November 15, 2008

• A RAGING bushfire sent thousands of Californians including Hollywood celebrities running for their lives as it swept through the luxury coastal town of Santa Barbara, destroying more than 100 homes.

  Firefighters from across the state struggled to control the fire yesterday, which was powered by 113km/h winds and charred at least 1000ha in the coastal foothills.

  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the region as residents waited anxiously for word on their homes.

  Many residents, including actor Rob Lowe, fled flames in the mansion-filled neighborhood.

  Lowe, who revealed there was no warning until his wife rang to tell him about the blaze nearing their home, said he and his children drove away as flames shot 60m in the air.

  "I was watching the football game with my son and my wife called and said 'Montecito's on fire -- get out'," Lowe said.

  "I thought she was kidding, because there was no indication that there would be any problem whatsoever.

  "But we got in the car, pulled out of the driveway and the entire mountain behind us was flames.

  "It was just like Armageddon. This thing came on so fast, you just can't believe it."

  At least 5400 homes were evacuated and other residents opted to leave nearby areas due to fire warnings.

  The charred remains of luxury homes dotted the hillsides of the ritzy Mediterranean-style town, which is a hideaway for the super-rich and runs along the scenic Los Padres National Forest.

  Officials were assessing the extent of the damage to the area, which is tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains.

  Lowe was among residents breathing a sigh of relief after finding out their homes had managed to emerge unscathed.

  Television mogul Oprah Winfrey, who owns a $77 million, 17ha estate in the upmarket Montecito neighbourhood, revealed the flames came within 3km of her mansion.

  Winfrey said the blaze had destroyed the homes of her friends and neighbours.

  "Some of my friends left their homes with only their dogs last night," she said.

  Winfrey's biggest concern was evacuating her pets.

  "I don't have kids, so the most important thing for me is my dogs," Winfrey said.

  "And so we already had a plan for getting the dogs out and going to the Four Seasons in Westlake because they take dogs.

  "From now on I'll have so much more empathy and compassion for people who are going through it."

  Other well-known residents of the area, where the median price of homes is $3 million, include Paul Hogan, director Ivan Reitman and actors Michael Douglas and Jeff Bridges.

  Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Australian actor Portia de Rossi, own an estate in the area.

  Governor Schwarzenegger and wife, Maria Shriver, recently bought a 10ha plot for $7.3 million.

  Australian actor Cate Blanchett has also called Santa Barbara home when working in Hollywood.

  Evening winds, known locally as "sundowners", gusting up to 110km/h from land to sea, pushed the fire with frightening speed the night before - destroying mansions, exploding eucalyptus trees and turning rolling hills into a glowing landscape.

  The area has a long history of devastating bushfires, with a major blaze in 1977 destroying more than 200 homes and one in 1964 burning 27,000ha and damaging 150 houses and buildings.

  Aerial TV footage of Montecito yesterday showed the smouldering wreckage in neighbourhoods that include some of the most expensive homes in the US.

  Real estate developer Andrew Bermant found out his two properties on the millionaire's row of Coyote Rd - one of the worst hit areas where many homes burned to the ground after residents evacuated - had been razed.

  Mr Bermant was philosophical about the destruction after expressing relief that he had able to safely evacuate his family at dusk.

  "You can lose your photos, but your memories are still in your heart," he said.

  "The bottom line is we know the risk of living here.

  "We're glad it didn't happen at two in the morning when everyone was asleep."

  Helicopter pilots worked through the night, using night vision goggles to drop water on the flames.

  About 20 helicopters and air tankers were fighting the fire.

  • 6:54 pm
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