I’m grateful that firefighters have gained control of 40% of the Tea Fire in Santa Barbara County. With a reduction in winds, things may improve soon. However, 111 people have lost their homes; I personally know of at least two families who have lost their home. I am enthralled by the heroic fight to save homes and stories of communities working together, especially the one below from Santa Barbara’s Independent.
On Las Canoas Road, Plumber Fills Firefighters’ Tanks Using Undocumented Hookup
Patty Look Lewis tells the story of how Peter Kornbluth, a plumber by trade, saved her home and others, having years ago tapped into a water main in preparation for the inevitable. Lewis had evacuated with her husband Walter, her daughter Estelle, and her two dogs. There are three houses on the property: That of the landlord, Kornbluth, and below it his mother-in-law Laura Bissel’s home and next to that, the Lewis’s home. Location: 1976 Las Canoas Rd., adjacent Skofield Park on the Mission Canyon side.
“In the two lower houses horses were being ridden off the property, down toward Mission Canyon to be evacuated, and we were loading up our cars. Everybody on property was ready to leave except for Peter. He had parked his truck facing downhill, but he was still on the property trying to figure out what he was going to do next when a police officer came up and told him about the mandatory evacuation. He said “OK” and drove downhill and took a sharp left through the avocado grove and turned off his headlights.
“When the police car left the driveway, he returned. He told us he’d known for 19 years living in that area that this day was coming, and he’s a plumber, so in the deck area of our house he had a huge fire hose connected to the water main for just this purpose.
“He started hosing down our house and was joined by firemen who then arrived. He ended up refilling their tanks with the water hose. Those guys and Peter stopped the fire right at our driveway. Our house was inches from being completely consumed.
“All the fire trucks in that area were coming to him to get their tanks refilled.
“He was there all night long. At 6:30 a.m., he called and said, “Your house is safe.”
“And Peter was so cute, because he said, “I have all these new friends now. They’re not from here, and they all wear yellow.”
“So we decided that yellow is the new black. “
As a new fire rages in LA and thousands are under evacuation orders in SB and LA, my heart goes out to everyone.
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