From Fire to Flood

Despite much anxiety that the rain that fell on southern Santa Barbara County on Tuesday, November 25, would cause the areas ravaged this year by the Gap and Tea fires to experience mud flows or landslides, the scorched earth emerged from the showers intact. As of Wednesday morning, relieved Santa Barbara officials announced that the Tea Fire burn area had suffered no flooding, mudslides, or movement of boulders as a result of the 1.11 inches of water that fell. Lighter rain fell through Wednesday afternoon before giving way to clearer skies. Those who had been ordered to evacuate their homes on Tuesday night-people who lived in the area the fire had burned, mostly Sycamore Canyon, Gibraltar Road from El Cielito to East Camino Cielo, and other roads-were allowed to return by noon on Wednesday. Goleta officials reported on Wednesday that the Gap Fire burn area did not suffer stream blockages or any further problems as a result of the rain.