Tag archives: Debris flow
After receiving clearance from Montecito Water District that the boil-water notice was lifted in the majority of Montecito, most businesses and restaurants in the upper and lower villages were back in business over the weekend, marking another milestone in the recovery process. Los Arroyos reopened its doors on February 2, despite the lack of internet […]
While Montecito residents and businesses continue to rebuild following the mudflow event of January 9, the Montecito Fire District, which is credited with saving many lives during the storm event, recently welcomed the newest member of their team. Luca Gil Nahas – the son of Araceli Gil, District accountant for MFPD, and her husband, Rich […]
It has been nearly a month since we were awakened in the middle of the night, without electrical power, to the drumbeat of a pounding rainstorm and the roar of a descending mountain of mud and boulders. As is usual in a natural disaster, there were scenes of personal heroism from unnamed first responders and […]
I chose to write this letter even at the hesitation of the people I am writing it for… I am a past resident of Montecito, where I grew up. I attended Mt. Carmel School as well as Bishop Diego. I moved away after college, yet continue to visit my parents and sister who are still […]
It is an extraordinary tale of grit and survival. So much so that this illustrious organ’s bridle correspondent, Lynn Kirst and her 93-year-old mother, Colleen, were flown to New York last week by the NBC network to appear with Megyn Kelly on the Today show. In the 10-minute segment, the dynamic duo recounted in harrowing […]
All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church played a critical role on the night of the deadly mudslides, I learn. The church was spared the worst of the damage, but became a triage center for those injured in the disaster, says parishioner Sheri Benninghoven. “Hundreds of people descended on the church during the heart of […]
KEYT senior reporter John Palminteri is pulling a few strings! Puppet Palooza Central threw a Puppets in Paseo event honoring the ubiquitous broadcaster and the ABC affiliate’s industrious team for their coverage of the Thomas Fire and the destructive and deadly aftermath. A Palminteri puppet was unveiled, complete with John’s signature moustache, that performed live […]
One of the unexpected gifts of the twin tragedies of the Thomas Fire, the largest recorded wildfire in California’s history, and the subsequent Montecito mudslide that engulfed our small village, has been the outpouring of sympathy, compassion, and support from our neighbors in the City of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland, Goleta, the rest of Santa […]
Santa Barbara was hardly given a chance to breathe following the Thomas Fire – the largest fire in recorded California history – when the Thomas Flood struck a far more damaging blow to the Montecito, California community. After the fire, a committee of appreciative community members quickly assembled to say “thank you” to the first […]
On the morning of January 9, our family narrowly escaped a tsunami of mud waters and our family is lucky to be alive. When the mountain of mud came at us, we fled our home as fast as we could. My husband took one car and I took another. We went to the right and […]
After the massive cleanup following the devastating Montecito mudslides, where to dump it? More than 20,000 dump truck loads – in excess of seven million pounds – of muck have been taken to the Ventura County Fairgrounds, where it is being stored temporarily. But with the totals increasing daily, officials face a daunting task. One […]
Last week, thousands of displaced Montecito residents were allowed to go back to their homes, after being mandatorily evacuated for more than two weeks following the mudflow event on January 9. The majority of Montecito residents and business owners are slowly getting back to their day-to-day routine, as others have spent the last week removing […]
On Sunday, January 28, the grassroots organization Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, led by Montecito Fire Protection District Board president Abe Powell, began helping homeowners clear out mud and debris from their driveways, homes, and properties. Dozens of volunteers, including local contractors donating their equipment and time, have assembled to help homeowners, who are overwhelmed with […]
Chris Wilkinson and his son, Kai, filled their truck with emergency supplies and radio equipment. They are members of the Montecito Emergency Response and Recovery Action Group known as MERRAG. It was January 8. KEYT had warned of heavy rainfall. As a third-generation Montecitoan who has lived in the same Glen Oaks home since 1963, […]
Being a writer and one of the lucky ones to have survived the recent California Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides, I feel compelled to try to express what others and I are feeling. I’ve rarely had a difficult time putting my feelings into words, but these two experiences have truly left me scrambling. I’ve been […]
On Tuesday, January 23, evacuation orders were lifted on the western flank of Montecito, including Coast Village Road, which was closed for two weeks following the mudslides on January 9. Major utilities including sewer, electricity, and gas, were up-and-running, allowing most businesses to repopulate and welcome customers back to the business district, following the opening […]
At a District board meeting on January 22, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors was briefed on the mudslide situation by division chief of operations, Kevin Taylor. As of Monday, the recovery operations for the incident was transitioned to the County’s Emergency Operations Center, with Montecito Fire having an advisory role in the […]
Our family’s story involves almost all the children who were killed during this terrible tragedy. You see, we own (I guess I should say owned) a house directly next to the Taylor and Benitez families. There is nothing left. Literally, nothing. What’s worse is that our dear friends and neighbors were pummeled by the storm, […]
We are sending this email to all our friends and family who have reached out to us in regard to the Montecito fire and mudslide tragedies and evacuations. The story begins over a month ago, when Lynda and I were forced to evacuate our Romero Canyon home due to the largest wildfire in California history. Three […]
It was child’s play when Kids Helping Kids, the 10-year-old organization launched by students at San Marcos High School, raised a record $501,251 to help local children in need with two sold-out concerts at the Granada. The group, headed by economics teacher James DeVries, has raised more than $2.5 million since it started. Singer-songwriter Andy […]
