State of Emergency in California as Blaze Rages

Montecito is home to several big Hollywood players, such as Steven Spielberg, Rob Lowe, Christopher Lloyd and Oprah Winfrey, who owns a 42-acre property there.

"It is not threatening Oprah Winfrey's place at all. It is not burning in that direction," said Curtis Vincent, the public information officer of the Montecito Fire Department.

It wasn't just the rich who were burned out. Kelly Voysan, a construction worker who had worked on many of the luxury homes, returned to smoking rubble.

"There wasn't any time for an evacuation," said Voysan. "All there was was fire engines roaring up the street saying get out of here. And we left and this is what I came back to."

Experts say it has been unseasonably warm in Southern California, but it is the time of year for hot Santa Ana winds.

"This is the beginning of the Santa Ana season," said Dr.William Patzert, scientist at the California Institute of Technology. "It's the first large Santa Ana event, and it's definitely frightening."