A year ago today, December 13, the Thomas Fire had swallowed large swaths of Ventura County and crept to within striking distance of Montecito. Within just a week, it would leap into Santa Barbara’s front country and set the stage for the late-night debris flow that took 23 lives. In the immediate aftermath, KCRW and the Santa Barbara Independent interviewed residents and responders about what they’d experienced and what they thought might come next.
This week, as we commemorate those anniversaries, we’re checking back with some of those people, from a former Montecito homeowner who moved away to a Ventura resident vowing to rebuild. You’ll hear about the importance and challenges of emergency messaging and a bold new initiative to keep communities safer. The interviews were conducted by KCRW staff and edited for print by the Independent for brevity and clarity.