vol. 23, no. 154, Dec. 25, 2008-Jan. 1, 2009

ON THE COVER: WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH : Santa Barbara County residents are no strangers to the dangers of wildfire, but the past 18 months have been particularly devastating. With 2007’s historic Zaca Fire, this summer’s Gap Fire in Goleta, and last month’s short and horrific Tea Fire in the foothills of Santa Barbara and Montecito, we are uniquely qualified to understand what Governor Schwarzenegger meant when he said recently, “Now there is no more fire season. We have fire all year ’round.” As bad as the damage has been, you can rest assured it would have been tenfold worse if were not for the heroics of thousands of S.B., state, and federal firefighters. These men and women put their lives on the line for days on end so that we can continue to live ours; the work of a firefighter cannot be overestimated.