Tea Fire Burns Through Westmont College into Montecito

A fire started yesterday afternoon in Santa Barbara has already burned through Westmont College down into Montecito, consuming between 80-100 homes. Initial news reports are fragmentary but not reassuring, and the pictures are alarming. Here's a first-hand account from Ray Ford, of the Santa Barbara Independent, and a picture from a resident, Justin Fox, who lives just two miles south of the fire.

Power is out in much of the area; the Fire Department is urging residents to use as little water as possible…and a Santa Ana wind condition is expected today through Saturday in our area.