Jesusita Fire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jesusita Fire |
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Jesusita Fire, May 7, 2009, climbing the Santa Ynez Mountains behind Santa Barbara.
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| Location | Santa Barbara, California |
| Coordinates | 34°27′00″N 119°43′01″W / 34.45°N 119.717°W |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | $20 million |
| Date(s) | May 5, 2009 – May 18, 2009 |
| Burned area | 8,733 acres (35 km2) |
| Cause | Sparks off of trail clearing equipment |
| Buildings destroyed |
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| Non-fatal injuries | 28 |
| Map | |
 Location in southern California
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The Jesusita Fire was a large wildfire that started on May 5, 2009. It began in the hills near Santa Barbara, California, in the western United States. This fire burned for many days, finally being put out on May 18.
By the time it was stopped, the fire had burned about 8,733 acres (35.34 km2) of land. It also destroyed 80 homes and damaged 15 others. The fire started because some workers were clearing a trail. They left gas cans and hot equipment, like a weed wacker, near dry plants. They also did not have the right permits or permission to work there.
How the Fire Spread
The Jesusita Fire began around 1:45 p.m. on May 5. It started along the Jesusita Trail, below Cathedral Peak in the Santa Barbara foothills. Even though fire officials knew about the fire quickly, firefighters and equipment did not arrive for over three hours. This delay allowed the fire to grow much larger.
Within a few hours, the fire had spread to 150 acres (0.61 km2). Strong winds, called "sundowner winds," were expected to blow at 50 mph (80 km/h). These winds made the fire spread very fast. Officials told about 1,200 homes in the Santa Barbara hills to leave immediately for safety.
By May 8, the fire had spread widely across the Santa Ynez Mountains. It reached areas that had burned in other fires, like the 1990 Painted Cave Fire, the 2008 Gap Fire, and the 2008 Tea Fire. The strong sundowner winds caused the fire to grow rapidly, especially during the evenings and nights.
The fire was fully contained, or stopped, on May 18. It had burned a total of 8,733 acres (35.34 km2) and destroyed 80 homes.
What Happened Because of the Fire
About 35,000 people had to leave their homes because of the fire. The Red Cross set up shelters for these people. One shelter was at the UCSB Recreational Center. Another was at San Marcos High School in Goleta.
Sadly, a large part of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was also destroyed by the fire on the night of May 7.
Finding Out What Caused It
After the fire, an investigation looked into how it started. On December 11, 2009, two people, Craig Ilenstine and Dana Larsen, were identified. They had been using a weed whacker to clear the Jesusita Trail. They were cited for not having a special permit needed for work that could cause sparks, sometimes called a "hot work" permit.
In July 2010, Ilenstine and Larsen agreed that they had not followed a county rule. This rule says that anyone doing work that might start a fire must have a shovel or fire extinguisher nearby. They were each ordered to do 250 hours of community service and pay a fine of $490. They were also put on probation for three years. They were not charged with actually starting the fire, but for not following safety rules.
A year later, in July 2011, many homeowners who lost their houses filed a lawsuit. They sued Stihl, the company that made the brush-cutting equipment. They said Stihl should have warned users that the metal blades could create sparks and start a fire in dry areas. In July 2013, Stihl agreed to settle these claims.
