The Thomas Fire and mudslides in Montecito weakened Santa Barbara’s tourism industry and impacted local businesses. But, it hasn’t been all bad. Matt Kettmann from the Santa Barbara Independent says some wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley saw more foot traffic than usual, and rescheduled charity events are packed.
The 10th Annual Santa Barbara Wine Auction benefited disaster relief organization Direct Relief. Photo credit: Matt Kettmann.