Montecito Water District was recently named in a Thomas Fire lawsuit alleging that the water district caused a deadly mudslide.

The Thomas Fire was one of the many massive fires that burned in 2018. Between Dec.4 2017 and Jan. 12, 2018, the Thomas Fire reportedly burned over 280,000 acres and did over $2.2 billion in property damage.

Although the fire itself only killed one firefighter and one civilian, the subsequent debris flow caused many more casualties.

Last year following the devastating Thomas Fire damage, residents of Montecito experienced further tragedy when a massive mudslide killed 21 people and destroyed several homes. Two other residents were reportedly never found. According to a recent lawsuit filed by over 100 plaintiffs, Montecito Water District was partially responsible for this deadly event.

“‘On January 9, 2018, MWD’s 14-inch highline ruptured at a majority of creek crossings, and then all of the reservoirs emptied,’ according to Nick Turner, MWD’s general manager,” the Thomas Fire lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs claim that the Montecito Water District failed to protect their reservoirs from damage or the force or potential impacts. When the Thomas Fire swept through the area, the area was decimated. Shortly after, when over a half inch of rain fell within 15 minutes, there was nothing to stop the area’s boulders and other debris from being swept away in the rain. The Thomas Fire debris reportedly damaged the reservoirs and released millions of gallons of water.

“Because MWD did not activate the shut-off valves in its water delivery system, water from its (10) reservoirs rushed out of the highline through ruptures of the pipeline into the local creeks, causing an estimated 8 to 9 million gallons of water in those tanks to drain out ‘with the majority of that going down the creeks,’” says the Thomas Fire lawsuit.

The lawsuit further claims that the “millions of gallons of water released from the MWD systems joined with rainwater in the local creeks and streams in the hillsides above Montecito, causing erosion, devastation and destruction before its journey into Montecito.”

Plaintiffs in the Thomas Fire complaint are victims and the families of those killed or injured by the massive debris flow. Other plaintiffs include business owners harmed by the mudslide and individuals who sustained evacuation or relocations costs. Plaintiffs are asking for a trial by jury to recover compensation for the damages allegedly caused by Montecito Water District’s negligence.

Following the massive, deadly debris flow, Santa Barbra County has released new flood risk maps reflecting the increased risk for communities below the Thomas Fire burn scar. Additionally, the county’s emergency officials are reportedly working hard to develop an enhanced emergency alert system that would help with prompt evacuations.

Last year, the Los Angeles Times published an article claiming that Santa Barbara County knew that the Montecito area may have been at risk for a massive mudslide but failed to manage the risks. According to the LA Times, county officials and experts from the Army Corps of Engineers have known since the 1960s that the flood prevention measures in the area were insufficient to stop the massive debris flow produced by the Santa Ynez Mountains. Santa Barbara County officials have reportedly denied the claims made in the article.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.