Cause
The cause of the fire was under investigation for the first four days when authorities determined on November 17 that it was "human caused". The following day, Santa Barbara Sheriff's investigators announced that the fire was caused by a group of ten men and women, age 18 to 22, college students, who went to the abandoned Tea House on the night of Wednesday, November 12 and held a bonfire party at the location, through the early morning hours of Thursday, November 13. The students told investigators they had put the fire out, but authorities believe the fire smoldered until the heavy winds ignited the fire on Thursday afternoon.
On November 20, 2008, Dr. Andreea M. Serban, President of Santa Barbara City College, issued a statement noting that "nine of the ten individuals identified as allegedly responsible for the Tea Fire have been confirmed as Santa Barbara City College students." That same day, Dr Gayle Beebe, president of Westmont College, noted in a press release the college's relief to learn that none of the ten were enrolled at Westmont.
Although the individuals were found guilty of trespassing and holding an illegal bonfire, there was not enough evidence to convict them of starting the blaze. "After a months-long investigation by several agencies, the District Attorney’s Office decided it could only charge the group with the misdemeanor crimes, unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the campfire they had started - and, according to group members, extinguished - more than 12 hours earlier had led to the Tea Fire."
Read more about this topic: Montecito Tea Fire