Mass evacuation order marks five year remembrance of Montecito mudslide

MONTECITO, Calif. - The rebuilt and reinforced watershed throughout the community of Montecito showed signs of "behaving unpredictably" during Monday's major storm, according to Kevin Taylor, Montecito Fire Protection Fire Chief.

The revelation came during Santa Barbara County's second public news conference in just over an hour. And, on the fifth anniversary of the Montecito mudflow tragedy.

Some say there is a natural progression for events like this, depending on who you ask; once in a lifetime or perhaps, every 40 years.

The scenario has played out more frequently, worldwide, when a deluge of rain brings down a mountainside - often, after a fire - taking everything with it.

The scenario played out in Montecito five years ago to the day, on January 9, 2018 following the monster Thomas Fire, which broke out December 4, 2017.

"It's been an interesting journey. For almost the first year that video seemed like somebody else filmed it," said Marco Farrell.

Farrell captured one head of the mudslide on his cell phone that tragic morning, as it rushed down Olive Mill Road.

The destructive power behind that river of mud, trees and boulders claimed 23 lives, more than 100 homes and left more than 400 houses battered and broken.

The Farrell's home was one of them.

"It's also taught myself and my family lessons that we would've never learned. We had to rely on strengths we didn't know we had," Farrell said.

"It seems like just yesterday," said Mark Hall with Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SAR). Five years has gone by very quickly."

Hall was one of SAR's volunteers that morning, along with a team of canine search dogs from throughout California.

He reiterated how powerful that event was and shares unimaginable scenarios the teams came across: creeks raged 75 feet high in some places, taking out entire neighborhoods; a house propelled 20 feet up into a tree; a kitchen wall, impaled by a massive oak, three feet in diameter.

"Like many people during the debris flow, it took a long time to decompress, to absorb you know everything we'd seen and done," said Hall.

The community strengthened and rebuilt over the past five years -- with tireless help from our first responders: the bucket brigade and its thousands of volunteers; Marborg's seemingly endless routes hauling out debris; large-scale fundraising events, includng one-805.

Milestones in the past half decade include new protections -- wider creeks, stronger bridges and new debris basins. And, somber notes. Last year, Kim Cantin buried the remains of her teenage son, Jack. The search for Lydia Sutthithepa, a missing toddler, continues.

"I think it's made us better people," said Farrell. "And, it's solidified how much our community means to us."

Farrell said his video clip of the 1/9 mudslide has been seen "millions" of times from people in more than a handful of countries. He's most proud that the ominous image has helped convince other people to evacuate from below burn scars ahead of heavy rains.

Hall urges residents to heed future warnings, when they come.

"There aren't too many days that I don't drive through Montecito and the creek areas," said Hall. "And thinking about the people, not just the people we rescued but the people who came out to assist. You know, it's better to be prepared than not."