An enormous fire still rages throughout Montecito, a SoCal city just south of Santa Barbara, and home to many Hollywood celebrities including Michael Douglas, Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe. The fire began last night around 6pm in the Los Padres National Forest and has burned more than 1,500 acres.
Despite nearly 700 firefighters at the scene, dozens of homes have been destroyed and 1,000+ residents have been evacuated.
"I saw $15 million in houses burn," said resident Tim Bain who was told to evacuate at midnight. As he left, he saw a half-dozen mansions aflame.
"This continues to be a dangerous fire and residents should remain aware of local conditions and be prepared to respond to any warnings," the Santa Barbara County Fire Department released.
The National Weather Service has issued a red-flag warning until tomorrow, believing "explosive fire-weather conditions" still exist.
Firefighters will receive help from 10 air tankers and 9 helicopters today.
California has had nearly 10,000 fires this year.