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Thomas Fire Comes Over Top Of Santa Ynez Mountain Range, Into Canyons Above Montecito

Blaze threatens home above Montecito Tuesday afternoon

The massive Thomas brush fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties has burned across part of the Santa Ynez mountain range northeast of Montecito early Tuesday afternoon, and tried to back down some canyons above the famous mansion-filled community.

Smoke and flames from the fire in the Romero Canyon area are visible from parts of Montecito.  The northern part of the community was evacuated over the weekend, and an army of firefighters has been deployed to try to protect the mansions and ranches in the upscale community. 

The fire threatened a mountaintop home off of Bella Vista Drive,  but firefighters were able to protect it.

Firefighters say they are being aided by the lack of wind in the foothills, which has slowed the fire's movement.

Montecito is home to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.  The blaze is at least four miles away from their homes.  The nine day old fire has burned more than 230,000 acres of land, and destroyed around 870 homes. 

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.