Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 12 december 2017

Ash falls like snow as celebrities flee California community

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER tently last week. bors were helping each
Associated Press Officials handed out masks other and their animals get
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ash to those who stayed be- to safety.
fell like snow and heavy hind in Montecito, an ex- “I’m sending lots of love
smoke had residents gasp- clusive community about and gratitude to the fire
ing for air Monday as a 75 miles (120 kilometers) department and sheriffs.
huge Southern California northwest of Los Angeles Thank you all,” she wrote.
wildfire exploded in size, that’s home to stars such as The blaze has destroyed
becoming the fifth largest Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bridges more than 750 buildings,
in state history and driving and Drew Barrymore. officials said. It was par-
celebrities from a wealthy Actor Rob Lowe wore a tially contained after burn-
hillside enclave. mask as he live-streamed ing nearly 360 square miles
Tens of thousands have his family evacuating Sun- (930 square kilometers) of
fled their homes as flames day from their smoke- dry brush and timber.
churn through foothill shrouded home. Customers coming into This image made from a video on Rob Lowe’s Instagram
towns near Santa Barbara, “Praying for the people Jeannine’s American Bak- account shows the actor in a mask as he live-streams
the latest flare-up after a in my area,” he said to ery in Montecito brushed his family evacuating from their smoke-shrouded home,
week of wind-fanned wild- his Instagram followers. ash from their clothes and where a growing Southern California wildfire is threatening
fires throughout the region. “Hope everybody’s getting marveled at smoke so homes in the wealthy enclave of Montecito. “Praying
With acrid smoke thick in out safe like we are, and heavy that visibility was for the people in my area,” Lowe said to his Instagram
the air, even residents not thanks for the prayers and down to just a few feet. followers. “Hope everybody’s getting out safe like we are,
under evacuation orders thoughts. And good luck “There’s so much ash it’s and thanks for the prayers and thoughts. And good luck
took the chance to leave, to the firefighters, we need unbelievable,” manager to the firefighters, we need you!”
fearing another shutdown you!” Richard Sanchez said. “Ev- (Rob Lowe/Instagram via AP)
of a key coastal highway Talk show host Ellen DeGe- erything is white. The streets ered, our parking lot is cov- pollution-heavy China and
that was closed intermit- neres tweeted that neigh- are covered, cars are cov- ered.” are especially problematic
Amtrak canceled ser- for people exerting them-
vice through the city of selves.
Santa Barbara, and its “When I look out my win-
nearly 200-year-old mis- dow and see someone
sion church was closed be- bicycling I think, ‘No, no,
cause of smoke and ash. no, get off your bike and
Authorities issued repeated walk!’” she said.
alerts about unhealthy air Forecasters predicted dry
and warned people to stay winds that spread fires
indoors, avoid vigorous throughout the region for
outdoor activities and not a week would begin to
do anything to stir up ash. lose their power Monday.
Dr. Helene Gardner, an ex- Light gusts were driving the
pert in air quality at Univer- flames away from commu-
sity of California, Santa Bar- nities, Santa Barbara Coun-
bara, watched ash fall “like ty fire spokesman Mike Elia-
a fine snow” from her home son said. But the possibility
after the school postponed of “unpredictable” gusts
final exams until January. would keep firefighters on
She said her environmen- edge, he said.
tal sciences students got a “I’m not frightened yet,”
kick from the fact that the Carpinteria resident Rober-
delay was directly related ta Lehtinen told KABC-TV.
to their field of study. “I don’t think it’s going to
Gardner warned that the come roaring down unless
air alerts should be taken the winds kick up.”
seriously because of air- Santa Ana winds have long
borne particulates — “nas- contributed to some of the
ty buggers” that can lodge region’s most disastrous
in lungs and cause respira- wildfires. They blow from
tory problems. the inland toward the Pa-
She said the levels of par- cific Ocean, speeding up
ticulates from a wildfire as they squeeze through
can approach those seen mountain passes and
near coal-burning plants in canyons.q