Wildfire Rages in Southern California

Up to 200 Homes Might Be Lost in Santa Barbara Area

MONTECITO, Calif., Nov. 14 -- Firefighters were holding their own Friday against a wildfire that destroyed more than 100 houses in a wealthy, celebrity-studded enclave, but authorities warned that evening wind gusts could send the blaze on another destructive sprint.

Much of the damage to homes and a small Christian college occurred Thursday night, but several more homes burned Friday in Montecito, a quaint and secluded area that has attracted celebrities such as Rob Lowe, Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas and Oprah Winfrey. More than 1,000 firefighters worked to contain the blaze ahead of winds that were expected to pick up after sundown.

"It's not a time to relax," said Santa Barbara County Deputy Fire Chief Tom Franklin. "Everybody's got to be diligent through tonight. It's the last evening of these wind events."

Franklin said as many as 200 homes may have burned in the area, and he asked for patience from residents as crews try to catalogue the devastation in remote hilly areas accessible only by winding roads.

At least 13 people were injured. A 98-year-old man with multiple medical problems died after being evacuated to a hotel, but it was unclear whether his death was directly related to the blaze, Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner Bill Brown said.

Blistering winds gusting to 70 mph, dry brush and oil-rich eucalyptus trees -- which burst when afire -- helped turn an ordinary brush fire into an exploding inferno that quickly consumed rows of luxury homes and part of Westmont College, where students spent the night in a gymnasium shelter.

The fire began about 6 p.m. Thursday before it chewed through multimillion-dollar homes whose shattered windows glowed like jack-o'-lanterns as they burned through the night.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County on Friday as residents waited anxiously for word of their houses. Many of them fled flames with just a few minutes' notice.

"That whole mountain over there went up at once. Boom," said Bob McNall, 70, who with his son and grandson saved their home by hosing it down. "The whole sky was full of embers; there was nothing that they could do. It was just too much."

"I saw $15 million in houses burn, without a doubt," said Tom Bain, a 54-year-old electrician. "They were just blowing up. It was really, intensely hot."