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| Thomas Fire Spreads Rapidly to Santa Barbara County | Thomas Fire Spreads Rapidly to Santa Barbara County |
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| LOS ANGELES — The largest of the Southern California wildfires accelerated its spread into Santa Barbara County on Saturday, burning through the outskirts of the wealthy enclave of Montecito, home to many Hollywood stars. | LOS ANGELES — The largest of the Southern California wildfires accelerated its spread into Santa Barbara County on Saturday, burning through the outskirts of the wealthy enclave of Montecito, home to many Hollywood stars. |
| The fire, which is now the third largest in modern California history, was being driven by strong winds that were forecast to continue through Saturday. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for large swaths of the county, including Montecito and some parts of the city of Santa Barbara. Downtown Santa Barbara remained under voluntary evacuation, though officials urged residents to leave. | The fire, which is now the third largest in modern California history, was being driven by strong winds that were forecast to continue through Saturday. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for large swaths of the county, including Montecito and some parts of the city of Santa Barbara. Downtown Santa Barbara remained under voluntary evacuation, though officials urged residents to leave. |
| Firefighters who had been trying to stop the progression of the blaze, known as the Thomas Fire, by removing brush, clearing land with bulldozers and dropping thousands of gallons of fire retardant from aircraft were forced to retreat Saturday as the fire advanced. Hundreds of homes are in the fire’s path. | Firefighters who had been trying to stop the progression of the blaze, known as the Thomas Fire, by removing brush, clearing land with bulldozers and dropping thousands of gallons of fire retardant from aircraft were forced to retreat Saturday as the fire advanced. Hundreds of homes are in the fire’s path. |
| In addition to its pricey real estate, Santa Barbara County is home to a $1.5 billion agricultural industry that produces strawberries, fresh-cut flowers and leafy greens. | In addition to its pricey real estate, Santa Barbara County is home to a $1.5 billion agricultural industry that produces strawberries, fresh-cut flowers and leafy greens. |
| “It’s moving faster than what we can possibly do to contain the fire,” said Joe Rosa, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. | “It’s moving faster than what we can possibly do to contain the fire,” said Joe Rosa, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. |
| In Santa Barbara, helicopters hovered in gray and smoky skies, and ashes speckled the ground everywhere, said Bonnie Marcus, who lives in an apartment in the eastern part of the city. | In Santa Barbara, helicopters hovered in gray and smoky skies, and ashes speckled the ground everywhere, said Bonnie Marcus, who lives in an apartment in the eastern part of the city. |
| “I have never been in a war zone but that is what it felt like,” Ms. Marcus said. | “I have never been in a war zone but that is what it felt like,” Ms. Marcus said. |
| Her phone kept buzzing with alerts about the fire, she said. Most of the residents of her apartment complex had evacuated. | Her phone kept buzzing with alerts about the fire, she said. Most of the residents of her apartment complex had evacuated. |
| By late afternoon, she was on the road to a friend’s house near San Diego with some personal pictures, work files and clothes stashed in a bag. | By late afternoon, she was on the road to a friend’s house near San Diego with some personal pictures, work files and clothes stashed in a bag. |
| More than 8,000 firefighters have been deployed and hundreds had been ordered into a tactical retreat. “We are not going to put them in harm’s way to defend a building and have the chance of them not going home to their families at the end of this event,” Mr. Rosa said. | More than 8,000 firefighters have been deployed and hundreds had been ordered into a tactical retreat. “We are not going to put them in harm’s way to defend a building and have the chance of them not going home to their families at the end of this event,” Mr. Rosa said. |
| One firefighter, Cory Iverson, 32, died Thursday from burns and smoke inhalation, according to autopsy results announced Saturday. | |
| As of Saturday evening the fire had burned through at least 267,500 acres and was 40 percent contained. Cal Fire has records of fires dating to 1932; the largest, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County in October 2003, burned 273,246 acres. | |
| Winds that had been gusting up to 65 miles per hour in the hills of Montecito were less severe by the afternoon, but were still blowing strongly toward the coast, said Tom Fisher, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard, a few dozen miles southeast of the fire. | Winds that had been gusting up to 65 miles per hour in the hills of Montecito were less severe by the afternoon, but were still blowing strongly toward the coast, said Tom Fisher, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard, a few dozen miles southeast of the fire. |
| Gusts were still recorded at above 45 miles per hour, and wind patterns had caused humidity to drop, Mr. Fisher added. | Gusts were still recorded at above 45 miles per hour, and wind patterns had caused humidity to drop, Mr. Fisher added. |
| “From a firefighter’s point of view that’s still not good,” he said. | “From a firefighter’s point of view that’s still not good,” he said. |
| Among the evacuees were Candace Dauphinot and Richard Brumm, real estate investors who retired to Montecito in 2003 and since 2012 have been living in the Birnam Wood Golf Club, a gated community of about 140 ranch-style homes valued at $3 million and higher. | Among the evacuees were Candace Dauphinot and Richard Brumm, real estate investors who retired to Montecito in 2003 and since 2012 have been living in the Birnam Wood Golf Club, a gated community of about 140 ranch-style homes valued at $3 million and higher. |
| Before even receiving an evacuation order, they gathered some clothes and their Bichon, Kobe, and hit the road on Friday. “The air quality was beyond dreadful, and there was a lot of talk about the wind shifting,” Ms. Dauphinot said. | Before even receiving an evacuation order, they gathered some clothes and their Bichon, Kobe, and hit the road on Friday. “The air quality was beyond dreadful, and there was a lot of talk about the wind shifting,” Ms. Dauphinot said. |
| By Saturday, the whole golf community had been ordered to leave. Many residents, including the couple, found refuge at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, a resort in Goleta, north of Santa Barbara. From the terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean, “we keep looking at the winds and the skies,” Ms. Dauphinot said. | By Saturday, the whole golf community had been ordered to leave. Many residents, including the couple, found refuge at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, a resort in Goleta, north of Santa Barbara. From the terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean, “we keep looking at the winds and the skies,” Ms. Dauphinot said. |
| The couple were hopeful the golf club would escape harm’s way thanks to its location in the flatlands of Montecito, which have been spared as the fire chews through the dry vegetation in the hills and canyons. | The couple were hopeful the golf club would escape harm’s way thanks to its location in the flatlands of Montecito, which have been spared as the fire chews through the dry vegetation in the hills and canyons. |
| The Thomas Fire, which broke out Dec. 4 in Ventura County, destroyed multi-million-dollar homes and other structures as well as avocado and lemon orchards there before advancing north up the coast to neighboring Santa Barbara County. | The Thomas Fire, which broke out Dec. 4 in Ventura County, destroyed multi-million-dollar homes and other structures as well as avocado and lemon orchards there before advancing north up the coast to neighboring Santa Barbara County. |
| If the winds fueling the fire did not subside, experts said, it could turn into the worst in California’s history. It continued to pose a threat to both counties late Saturday. | If the winds fueling the fire did not subside, experts said, it could turn into the worst in California’s history. It continued to pose a threat to both counties late Saturday. |
| Ned Doubleday, who owns a home in Toro Canyon with expansive views of downtown Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean, was taking refuge Saturday in a beachfront condominium with the family Dalmatian, Pepper, and their cat, Hazel. It was one of the few pockets of Montecito that was not subjected to mandatory evacuation. | Ned Doubleday, who owns a home in Toro Canyon with expansive views of downtown Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean, was taking refuge Saturday in a beachfront condominium with the family Dalmatian, Pepper, and their cat, Hazel. It was one of the few pockets of Montecito that was not subjected to mandatory evacuation. |
| Mr. Doubleday’s wife, Hilary, and daughters, Serena and Isabelle, who just arrived home for winter break, left for San Francisco on Saturday, their car stuffed with their favorite paintings and items of sentimental value. As far as Mr. Doubleday knew, the blaze that barreled through the area had not reached their home, protected by a fire line a few hundred yards away. | Mr. Doubleday’s wife, Hilary, and daughters, Serena and Isabelle, who just arrived home for winter break, left for San Francisco on Saturday, their car stuffed with their favorite paintings and items of sentimental value. As far as Mr. Doubleday knew, the blaze that barreled through the area had not reached their home, protected by a fire line a few hundred yards away. |
| Mr. Doubleday, an investment adviser who has lived in the area for 21 years, described the Thomas Fire’s two-week-long advance through Southern California as something akin to a “horror-movie monster.” | Mr. Doubleday, an investment adviser who has lived in the area for 21 years, described the Thomas Fire’s two-week-long advance through Southern California as something akin to a “horror-movie monster.” |
| “It’s slow but relentless. The heroine keeps falling and the monster keeps coming,” said Mr. Doubleday, watching as the smoke-tinged bright red sun lit up the sky over Santa Barbara. | “It’s slow but relentless. The heroine keeps falling and the monster keeps coming,” said Mr. Doubleday, watching as the smoke-tinged bright red sun lit up the sky over Santa Barbara. |