On the eighth anniversary of the deadly debris flow that killed 23 people in Montecito, we commemorate the disaster’s victims with a short documentary recounting the catastrophe.
By Hap Freund and Melinda Burns
In the early morning hours of January 9, 2018, torrential rains unleashed a series of mudslides and boulders that roared down the hillsides of Montecito, killing 23 people and damaging hundreds of homes, scarring the landscape and the psyches of our community.
A year later, on the first anniversary of this tragic event, we released this 22-minute video as a testament to both the trauma and the resiliency our citizens.
The mudslide was caused, in large part by the aftermath of the month-long Thomas Fire, which, at the time, was the largest wildfire in California history.
We wrote and produced this documentary to remember the victims, and to honor the voices of those who survived and helped the community heal.
The community is invited to attend a commemorative event, Raising Our Light, on Friday, January 9, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Montecito Union School, 385 San Ysidro Road.
This article originally appeared on Santa Barbara Newsmakers.
That was a crazy night. I remember it well. Nature is metal. It’s good they’re holding this ongoing memorial event.