Montecito/1-9-18

An emotional documentary about the deadly Debris Flow reveals the pain and resilience of the disaster

Jan 09, 2025

Thanks for reading SB Newsmakers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

By Hap Freund

As community members gather in Montecito today to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the deadly Debris Flow, the savage wildfires in Los Angeles offer a grim reminder of the vulnerability we all share in the face of traumatic natural disasters.

In 2018, the aftermath of the month-long Thomas Fire, then the largest in California history, was a treacherous local landscape which collapsed under the weight of a torrential downpour, killing 23 community members and inflicting tens of millions of dollars in property damage,

In observation of today’s remembrance, Newsmakers is republishing a short documentary, “Montecito/January 9, 2018” that tells the story, not only of the tragic loss of lives and homes, but also of the resilience of our own community. The film, by Melinda Burns and this writer, and Newsmakers co-founder, features the wrenching, first-hand testimony of four victims of the tragedy,

At a time when many of us are fearful of an uncertain future, and tormented by the drama and trauma of our political universe, it seems appropriate to acknowledge the pain and resilience we experienced just seven years ago as a community, while also honoring the plain decency of our neighbors who day in and day out model community service, civility and mutual respect. ,

A final word: Melinda’s lead role in the documentary emerged from two years of intensive, investigative reporting she performed – free of charge, as a community service – following the disaster. A list of some of her major stories on the debris flow is below the film.