Fire ravages Santa Barbara
Posted by: Wa
Date: 2009-05-06 18:59:38
The Jesusita fire started Tuesday, May 5, at about 2 pm. Rainfall far below average, strong sundowner winds and temperatures hovering around 100 degrees have made this fire very difficult to contain. Many in the area have been evacuated. Much of Santa Barbara has lost power.
While this area is prone to vicious wildfires every 30 years due to the arid climate (it rains about 8 times a year) and annual buildup of dry brush, the past 2 or 3 years have been blazing, with a total of 4 (that's right, 4) wildfires, testing resources to the limit. The recent "Tea" Fire was even harder to fight because of 2 other blazes in Southern California. Perhaps this is a result of global warming, or perhaps we're just having a bad stint.
The school I attend is barely outside the evacuation warning area; in fact, the street that accesses it is closed barely a few hundred feet down. Many students living in the vicinity of the fire are absent, a testament to the consequences of wildfires. PE was canceled for several reasons, including air quality and the soaring temperatures. Because of the rapid spread of this fire, I fear that the school will be closed.
Even though life is nice in sunny California, fires are some of the many hazards that Californians have to withstand. It's worth it, though.
This local news editorial was brought to you by Wa.