A brush fire ravaged the hills above Southern California's affluent Santa Barbara coast for a second night last night after roaring through the celebrity enclave of Montecito, injuring at least 13 people and levelling more than 100 homes.
Those reported to have lost houses in the community dubbed "America's Riviera" included actor Christopher Lloyd, best known as the zany scientist in the Back to the Futuremovies. Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey and actor Rob Lowe said their properties were spared for the time being.
No deaths were reported from the fire, but a 98-year-old man died shortly after being evacuated to a nearby hotel, authorities said.
The fire started on Thursday evening and scorched about 607 hectares by yesterday morning, devouring mansions and luxury estates tucked into the canyons and foothills of the hamlet 145 km northwest of Los Angeles.
Large swathes of the picturesque community were transformed into charred, gray landscapes where gates and walls surrounded piles of rubble - all that remained of fire-ravaged multimillion-dollar houses.
Residents of some 5,500 homes were evacuated in Montecito, the neighboring city of Santa Barbara and surrounding areas.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for Santa Barbara County County, putting additional state resources at the disposal of local fire departments.
Firefighters on Thursday night were largely powerless as gusts howling at 110km/h fanned the flames in the foothills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Winds died down after sunrise and remained calm through the day yesterday, giving fire crews a chance to gain some ground.
At nightfall, firefighters braced for a resurgence of "sundowner" winds that often sweep in from over the Santa Ynez Mountains after dusk, but storm-force winds like those of Thursday night were not forecast to reappear.
"It's totally up to Mother Nature. If she decides to raise the miles per hour of those winds, than we could be in trouble," said Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum.
If winds remain in a normal range, she added, "Than I think we will have a much better handle on it."
Reuters