Wildfire destroys 70 homes in celebrity enclave

YOU ALL should pull your naive heads out of your uninformed back sides. Most of the homes there are NOT owned by celebs.... people like my father, my father in law and most of my friends families who are losing homes have worked all there adult lives to live in those homes. They were purchased long before the celeb invasion and they are now losing, in alot of cases, homes that generations of families haves lived in. Those of us who have literally built that community so that the "others" can enjoy it only have the one home and there is much tragedy at hand.... Shame on everyone of you for your shallow, heartless comments. Sounds like bitterness to me. Oprah is the VERY least of the issue.

Let's compromise - Southeast!

i can't figure out how to start a new thread but who spell checks these articles?  come on people!!  it is appalling!  i am available if you'd like to pay me to do it.

i can't figure out how to start a new thread but who spell checks these articles?  come on people!!  it is appalling!  i am available if you'd like to pay me to do it.

Spell check AND capitalization please...since we have to pay...

I am distressed by this news, as these folks are my neighbors...

I suggest we use this as an opportunity, think YURTS replacing the toxic mobile homes.

Think community and humanity instead of rich suffering less than the poor, a fire is a fire, is a fire, is a fire; loss is universal.

Compassion. Too Buddhist for ya' ah well...

Montecito is east of Santa Barbara not south. To the south is the ocean!

True, but the 101 fwy signs all say south.

Think of the maids, gardeners and stable hands out of work.  I found it ironic one homeowner nearly trapped by his own iron gates.

There's a message in there somewhere...

yup all those undocumented illegals out of jobs.

Who said anything about celebrity homes!? There are other news articles on the fire where you can make your hateful comments. This is about the Westmont campus. I can't believe what I'm reading from some of these people. 

So far we are hearing that NO celebrities have lost their homes, so it's mainly just regular ol' people who are losing maybe the only home they own. 

Why are people so bitter and cruel to delight in others' anguish?

Thanks, JD. Well put.

Ironic comment from NewYorkerCentral.

At this hour, the estimate is over 100 homes destroyed and two seriously injured.

We shouldn't be so quick to judge.  You know, not everyone who lives in Montecito is rich and/or famous, and the fire has spread downward toward the eastside of town where a lot of not-so-wealthy people live.  We're all at the mercy of Mother Nature at some time or other no matter where we live, and our lives and the lives or our families can change in an instant. The Santa Anas due in later today and will hold the key to a lot of innocent people's lives.

Well, Never...may you also "never" be rich nor famous to have to be judged in such away.

Just amazing.

It strikes me as just a TAD ironic that most of the conservatives who are railing against celebrities (as their homes burn down, no less) are the same conservatives who were willing to vote for a senile crank and a retarded barbie doll because they were so adamantly against 'spreading the wealth'. 

Said conservatives - can you PLEASE pick a side and stick to it?  Either you love rich people and want to protect their vast fortunes from greedy Democrats, or you hate rich people and want to make smores over the embers of their burning homes.

Just PLEASE pick one.  All of your bouncing back and forth from plank to plank in your schizophrenic party platform is giving me a migraine.

Michael Todd...

Sounds like you've had a migraine all of your life. Let me tell you something pal, you and the celebrities and rich in CA throw off on those who live in Hurricane prone areas. Guess what, if you live in a fire prone are, you deserve to have your home burned to the ground. I don't shed a single tear for any one in CA who choose to live in multi-million dollar homes in fire prone areas. They are as crazy as those that live in hurricane prone areas.

Rich or not, still a traumatic event to happen to anyone no matter where they live or who they are.

Agree, Tad...agree.

Eugene,

In your ridiculous and misplaced class envy, you're completely missing the very important reality that these people have insurance and/or enough money to rebuild all on their own, needing not a drop of your sarcastic jealousy or your tax dollars for support.

Further, nobody "deserves" to have their home burnt to the ground, you @!$%#, and nobody asked you to shed a tear for them.

Honestly, the only "crazy" people I 'see' on here are people like you, who can turn ANYTHING into cause for more unneeeded and counterproductive class warfare. Why don't you instead devote your energy to trying to figure out just who the hell turned you into such a hateful and inherently awful person.

Such a poor atatude

 I feel for these people but why not build houses with metal or stone and do whatever is necessary to make them at least fire resistant or even better fire proof.

Getting rid of the eucalyptis "bombs" could help.  But they smell soooo good...

We live in southern California where earthquakes are frequent visitors.  Wooden structures are safer and that's what most homes are built of.  I live in Anaheim Hills for 10 years.  Every year during Santa Ana wind season, we experienced wild fire throughout So. Cal, but none of them actually struck close to home.  Today was the first time we were under mandatory evacuation.  I stayed in my frined's house in the next city, and watched the news showing houses burining down one after another I was so anxious to go home.  People who are never in this situation will never understand the kind of agony going thru our minds.  We are not rich people or celebrities.  Do we deserve this less than they do?  I don't know what people are thinking when posting comment like this.   Nobody DESERVES to go through such pain.  If people can't think straight, I suggest they keep their mouths shut.

I wonder if anybody will HELP OUT all those houses who are foreclosed on???  Do you think someone would set fire to them?

 Or maybe this is God's way of helping out Calif. with your sub-prime mess....just a few less houses to worry about.  And those of you who can REALLY AFFORD a house in Calif.....this just might be your lucky day.  You can dumb the old house & go get one of those forclosed on houses.

As a Third Generation Native Californian, I think there is some misunderstanding to how powerful the Santa Ana Winds are.

There are requirements that home owners have to adhere to when they own homes that are on hillsides in Southern California. You have to remove brush from around your home, you can't have wood shake shingles, etc.

People who live on the Gulf Coast and Southeast can relate to the type of wind that is blowing. This is like a Hurricane, not quite as strong, but without the rain. The news channels will show the Freeways with Semi-Trucks parked under overpasses because they get blown over by the strong gusts.

This is just part of living in California.

Celebrities are normal people just like me and you, they also have feelings.  For any one to lose their home in a fire is devastating.  They have lost valuables, pictures, scrapboooks, and memories.  These things are irreplaceable.  Eventhough this may be a celebrities third or fourth home, lets have a little sympathy for them.  I don't understand how some people can be so negative at a time like this.

In some round about way it will be..... Better title for the article: How the rich and greedy cope with falling home values.

Maybe the fire was started by 'Jewish Lightning'?

i thought the article was more about the school being burnt down than celebrity houses that were in the area but were not hurt.

was i the only one who read the whole article or what?

Yes, evidentially you and I were the only two people to read the entire article. Actually I am surprised that these people even read the headline before they started banging thier opinions on the keyboard,  and I am extremely surprised they are not blaming it on the Bush administration.

I understood this to be about the school and some random scatterings of normal people interviewed, so I dont know where these people are getting their ideas.  My uncle and his family live very close to where the fire is, and so far he's been lucky!

Tax dollars from the rich have long paid for our infrastructure.

Not to worry, though. under the next presidential administration, more of their tax dollars will come your way - and unearned at that.

I believe that people who have millions of dollars in real estate are probably - and I know I'm going out on a limb here - smart enough to have insured their homes, and therefore not need a 'bailout' of any kind.

"hadenough" 

 is most likely correct. They will come up with a loophole to give these people money so they can rebuild. I'm sick of it. History is replete with stories of loss. people had to work and rebuild. They weren't handed money on a silver platter. I've had it with this stupid government that doesn't give a damn about the average American.

600 homes have burned including hundreds in a trailer park inhabited mostly by seniors. The police have designated the park as a crime scene since there may be people who didn't get out.

Please think before you make these comments. They are horrible. Most of the homes burned are owned by people like you and me.

Please have some sympathy.

Maybe the fire was started by 'Jewish Lightning'

It was far more likely a white supremecist, ignorant, (so-called) christian neo-con like yourself hadenough.

Were you burning any crosses in santa barbara lately? hadenough

Just in case anybody else is wondering, hadenough blames everything on jews.

a real classic kkk slob.

If we don't Obama will!

Thanks for once again proving that Newsvine needs to develop technology that forces people to actually read and comprehend the contents of an article before commenting on it.

I'm gonna be sick.

Michael Todd,

Agreed, except we just need to make it a requirement to post accurate personal contact information rather than anonymous avatar names. This would make people think twice before posting off color remarks or launching personal attacks on other people.

It's amazing to me how schizophrenic folks become when making their comments in forums like this. We would almost never, never hear people talking this way to each other in public, face to face. It is eye opening to read some of these comments and discover that this is what people really think, seething hatred and bigotry that is roiling just below the surface, revealing itself only in the comfort and anonymity of the chair behind the keyboard.

For those of you who take personal glee and satisfaction at the ill-fate of the burning rich on the hillside, just remember your place in the financial food-chain.  If you are sitting in front of the computer screen and drinking a cup of coffee, music playing on the radio or TV in the background, then most likely there is a car in the driveway, a roof over your head, some food in the pantry and a working toilet. Let's hear your complaints only when you are crouched on the ground pulling weeds for tonight's dinner, with only a scrap of cloth to cover your genitals and no home to speak of. Only then should the burning smell of the rich man's home bring you satisfaction.

No, douche, but only a complete and utter idiot would resort to assult/beating/suing people for speaking their minds, though I know there are plenty of those people on newsvine. However, having to actually associate one's name with their comments vs. generic names like, I don't know, "ipunchedyourmom", might actually make them THINK before they typed their 'thoughts' (and I use that term generously) for others to read, which is the point that copperkid was trying to make before you *shockingly* oversimplified it and dumbed it down for your own comprehension.

Becci....

Who cares a rats a66?

Eugene, alot of people do care about the accuracy because they have loved ones in the area.

People may have died in these fires. People are worried. Don't be an a66, ok?

Shed a tear,

only thing I feel sorry for is the pets that have to live with these dumb $@#$'s .....

Becci...........
The thing that really got me about the article, was a guy had to gather his cats and computer before he left. No clothes, no shoes, no food, no cash, no valuables, no nothing but stupid cats. Man worhips animals more than anything. No small wonder his home is buring down. What do you expect from such idiots?

Eugene - What the hell made you such a bitter and jealous person? Some rich person pee in your cornflakes?

Keep your useless hatred to yourself - how would you like it if your house burneed down and everybody said 'who cares? He's a jerk?'

Maybe the guy that saved his cats and computer got all he needed out of his home. In 2004 my home home was gutted by fire, the only things I grabbed were my kids and my dog! No purse, no car keys , no cash. I also got all I needed out of the  house. Could I have gotten more out..probably. Would it have been worth the risk..heck no! Everything else was replaceable! Not everyone in that area are rich and famous. There are students, retires and/or  families that of lived there long before some celebrity made it the "it" place to be.  No matter where a person chooses to live, be it the earthquake and fire prone west coast, winter time blizzards that strangle much of the plains and northeast, hurricane in the gulf coast and southeastern coast there will always be someone somewhere who has an opinion on why the deserve what they get. Are they hater's, probably not. Probably just people who deep down are thinking "thank god that isn't me". Then rejoicing at other's misery! 

Damn right!   If those idiots choose to live there, they can pay the price for their narcissistic stupidity!

So fireside, does that include those "rich #$^%$%" living in trailer parks?

It's people like you that deserve to have their homes burnt.

Reading Newsvine for these past few months has been a real education for me.

I guess I never realized that there were so many hateful, bitter and jealous people out there.  It doesn't seem to make any difference what the subject matter is..... Obama, gay rights, fires, etc.

I am very sorry for all of the people that have lost and are going to lose their homes in these fires.

Birdwatcher, I agree with you. I hate to see anybody lose their home, regardless of their financial status. But reading some of the outrageous comments on here can really set me off.

danwill,

I understand.  It all makes me sad....just very, very sad.

Truely alot of sad hurtful bunch it's a shame

These same people or person is/are  are in all the seeds. They try to ruin it for everyone. I got into one seed this weekend and had good conversation without one of them screwing it up. Must have been time for their nappy and pacifier and blankey.

Yeah, the fact that she's raised or donated or inspired others to donate hundreds of millions of dollars to charities and causes that make the world a better place, not to mention developing knowledge and self-esteem in millions of women..

I mean, God.  What a bitch.  She deserves for her home to burn!

Mike; i don't think she deserves to have her house burn, i just don't care if it burns. There are a lot of good people that are very generous to charities that we never hear about because they don't have their own tv shows to tell us about it. Bad things happen to them too. Again ,i don't care if her house burns down !!!

And where would you suggest these people live Chris.  Have you ever been to So Cal.  Not exactly making more land out here.  We are locked by mountains and water.  Not many more places to go but up.

Wow, more conservative quantum leaps.

Does the weight of all of that righteous indignation make it burn when you pee?

And aren't you just SUPER pissed you couldn't find an even REMOTELY plausible way of making the fire Obama's fault and somehow related to his associations with William Ayers?

You did manage to sneak "Gays" in, though.  Impressive.

Finally someone who actually knows what they are talking about; seriously that area is a chaparral and this is exactly what is supposed to happen it needs to burn every once in a while to keep the ecosystem going, yes it is sad that these people lose their homes but, what makes me really angry is how, like you said: these people are in DENIAL that it will never happen to them.  Hmm... if I buy a house on a large hill surrounded by very dry bushes and grass that is difficult for firefighters to get too... I wonder what will happen....

Curata -

Yet another meaningless rant from the right side of the spectrum. What is the difference between people in Cali (and we're not all gay you moron) building in the hills and the idiots on the Texas and Alabama coasts that get flooded out and destroyed everytime a hurricane comes through? How about the people in the midwest that get snowed in for days at atime every winter? Why does your pea-sized brain equivocate living in southern CA with being Liberal and/or gay?

Geez dude - grow up and join intelligent society.

Thank you Curata  and MITReader yours is the only educated response in here although you could of left the gay bashing out curata- but what the hell stick it to em they lost that vote.When you build in these areas your playing the lottery and you will always loose. Mother Nature is a bitch and she will get you every time

You cant manage a whole mountain people.  And not when you have 70 mile an hour winds and the fire can jump a mile at a time.  I guess I dont feel sorry for anyone who lives near a river, in the mountains, in the midwest, or in the gulf area either. 

Good post.  Some of these posts are quite insensitive.  We're talking about people here,k no matter who they are or how affluent. 

Mary and Janice...good posts.

For some reason, those who continue to hate democracy, capitalism, and living in a free republic continue to live here...and are more likely mooch due to an "everyone owes me" mentality.

Perhaps they'll take their stimulus check and stick into the coffers for the poor?

Doubtful.

You "think" they're a little angry and jealous?

What would it take to convince you - finding them standing in the heart of Montecito with the matches and gasoline?

The hilarious irony is that no doubt these are the same people who supported McCain and Palin in calling anyone who doesn't carry a gun and a bible Anti-American.

How much more Anti-American can you get than to wish harm or suffering on those who have made the most of the American Dream?

I think the American Dream has changed from wanting to succeed to wanting everyone else to fail as badly as some of the posters on here have.

I really don't care how much money these people have.  They lost their home.  Momentos, family albums, kids growth charts on the wall, the kind of things that all people have.  Gone.  I feel very sorry for them.

Michael: it took awhile to get it out of you but inevitably you would suggest that the horrible conservatives took gasoline and matches and started this fire. If this was Palin's or Mc Cain's or Bush's home you would be cheering. Stop being so self righteous, this has nothing to do with compassion for you. All you care about is that some rich liberals have or may have lost their homes which might threaten the donations for your liberal causes.

Vesey, you completely misread what I wrote, so I'll reiterate - it has everything to do with compassion. I don't care if the people who lost their homes are rich or down to their last dollar - losing a home to a fire is a terrible thing because there is nothing to salvage from it.

I was replying to the top of this thread. Try reading it again.

     They have to vent their wounds are hurting from the election. Every natural disaster will be Liberals faults for awhile. California voted for Obama so they are just teed off because of the voting out there. Are they not a precious little sub species?

Are you serious? (roly eyes)

I think they feel they can always rebuild.

They all know it will happen some day.

It is/was beautiful there and it will be rebuilt again.

If you're going to wish ill on one of the most charitable and successful women in American history, you'd do well to at least spell her name correctly, lest you make yourself look like a jealous and uneducated ignoramus.

Too true.

JCurry - Agreed that one doesn't want to develop/live in a flood-prone or fire prone areas. 

Unfortunately - arson is the major cause of our CA fires - the winds bring out theses sickos - they start them - some videotape themselves.  We've had a fireman convicted of arson. 

Growing up here in CA - up until 10 years or so ago - when the Santa Ana wind season started - you got wind and heat.  Horrifically, in the time since - when we get these winds - everyone now adds the threat of fire due to arson.    Everyone - every single dwelling is susceptible to arson - has absolutely nothing to do with where you live.

Every area is a "fire prone." And no sprinkler system could thwart the ferociousness of these blazes, not with Santa Ana winds.

Easy to judge when you don't live here.

Where do you live?

NeverWorried - every single dwelling built is fire prone.  Think about it - you got a lawn? - you got a tree?  You turn on the heat?  Perhaps smoke?  Cook?  Fire prone - every dwelling.

We are talking about two things you appear unfamiliar with - lucky you - arson and Santa Ana winds.   Is a completely no win situation - don't matter where you live.

Santa Ana winds are up to 72 mph today.

I have no problem with people building where they want as long as they're allowed to and have insurance.  It's up to each homeowner to decide what's an "acceptable risk" to them.  It would be unwise to build in let's say a flood prone area that it happens frequently.  The question may be Why are they allowed to build there?

It may be more dangerous if controlled burns don't happen.  It's a good solution to help protect people.

katzgar - you can design the best - as I responded to JCurry - almost every single fire during our Santa Ana fire season is caused by arson. 

There is only so much you can do.

If you are tired of hearing about California fires I am so sorry for you.  Turn off the TV then but don't call us when you are underwater or destroyed by hurricanes, tornadoes or robbed by thugs.  We won't listen.

Your comments dont pertain to my post.  Fireproof designs should be used its that simple.   Houses shouldnt be built in flood plains.  Houses should be built to survive hurricanes and tornadoes.   These arent difficult ideas and are being done in many areas not only in the US but around the world.  Supporting progress is much smarter then defending foolishness.

I beg to differ.   "...am so tired of hearing about Cali fires."   So are we!! 

Respectfully - I take it you're not from this area or you would have seen discussion after discussion, article upon article - testing - meetings with those architects, fire departments, etc.  You'd be quite impressed with the inovation used here.  The outdoor sprinkler systems that are designed to use inverted gravity - sucks water from your pool to the roof.  We have some of the very finest building codes in the entire country.

There is nothing - simply nothing - out there that will withstand these thousands of degree fires coupled with - in this case - 70+ mph winds.  Nothing!  

Finally - all of this would be - except for the very rare occurrance - a non issue - except for the arsonist.  They cause the 90+ percent of all fires during this season.

So true, PJ.

Not to mention that most of the fires and losses this year were caused by dry lightning.

...Not to mention bitterly jealous opportunistic arsonists taking advantage of those Santa Ana's.

Oooh, I just might have stepped on a nerve or two in this thread.

It's a shame there isn't an option to report posts for "ridiculous" content.

An excess of UV radiation is indeed harmful, but that same UVB light produced by the sun is essential for creating Vitamin D, which is now recognised by most of the world as an essential vitamin.  The ozone layer does not greatly reduce the amount of UVA radiation that reaches the Earth's surface at all.  While many scientists agree that there is a linkage between ozone depletion and global warming, there is no strong connection or correlation, and absolutely no guarantee (or even strongly supported theory) that fixing one issue will solve the other.

You are nuts.

Howard?

I'm a Christian, as well. But to speak as if from "God's lips to your ears" is nothing but the epitome of pride and presumption.

You *do* realize this, yes? And while you're accusing and pronouncing doom for those you have listed, you've forgotten to throw yourself in the heap, right?

I'm reasonably sure the great I Am is more than able to prononce His own judgment when and as necessary without any help from us. Meanwhile, I live, therefore I sin every day.

If God is punishing CA for "our evil ways", why does the fire come after CA voted to ban gay marriage? Why is the fire destroying a Christian college campus? If the fire burned around the campus I might be inclined to believe you (ok I still wouldn't, but your statement might have some basis). 

Or is this like how God punished New Orleans for its evil ways by flooding most of the city except the notoriously gay areas? That'll teach them.

As for this magic device. I call BS. You would have gotten a patent and be shopping major energy companies... not flirting with the media. 

Good point, Maggie...considering that it is written that judgement starts in the house of God. That puts a healthy fear in me!

Meanwhile, the rain falls on the just and unjust as we come to an obviously slow realization that our ways aren't really His ways at all...

You are sooooo fulla crap!

This from someone who can't spell "full of"?

I guess the meaning of context is lost on you, as well.

Hey, @!$%#wit:

Obama isn't the president for another 60+ days, nor, as of Sunday, is he a Senator - so please, do tell!  What exactly could he do to "rush" to help her?  Futhermore, what rock-solid critical thinking leads you to the ridiculous assumption that Oprah, worth over $2B, would even ask?

I mean honestly - what world do you live in?

I'm not even an Obama voter and I think this is ridiculous.

"Pay Back cometh and none too soon, I sayeth. You maketh my day."

Go FLYETH a kite.........

howard, bend over and kisseth my....