SANTA BARBARA — Rebuilding this city's No. 1 tourist attraction is proving easier than placing blame for the massive November fire that destroyed a quarter of Stearns Wharf.
The Santa Barbara Fire Department has decided that the blaze was "accidental and electrical in nature." But the debate over who is responsible continues to rage because arson investigators say the suspected cause, a 16,000-volt Southern California Edison line, probably was destroyed in the fire.
Edison officials hotly contest allegations that the fire started in the company's electrical line. And city officials predict a lengthy legal battle now that a five-month investigation has ended.
"We looked at allegations of arson, illegal wiring, the whole gamut," said Santa Barbara Fire Chief Warner McGrew. "It is a true story that we even looked at a report of a meteorite hitting the pier.
"What can I say? This is Santa Barbara. There is a cosmic aspect to everything."
While the dispute seemingly has no end, pier reconstruction has a strict timeline.
The wharf's sprawling wood decking is expected to be restored by September, said John Bridley, director of the city's waterfront department. Work will then begin on rebuilding two restaurants and a bait shop that were destroyed.
In recent weeks, visitors to the wharf, which spans four acres, have been greeted by the sound of pile drivers hammering supports into the ground.
"People are just so happy to see the rebuilding that they are willing to put up with the noise," Bridley said. He said one-third of the pilings have been placed, and that watching the progress has become one of the pier's attractions.
The city gets 10% of proceeds from pier businesses, and Bridley said revenues are higher than last year at the remaining 14 businesses. About 3 million visitors a year come to Stearns Wharf.
"Curiosity brought out the locals," said Nicole Mark, manager of the Old Wharf Trading Co. "We don't usually get the locals out here. Really, the weather tends to hurt us more than the pier fire did."
The Nov. 18 blaze caused $10 million in damage to the wharf and the three businesses that were destroyed. The city has spent $2.5 million more on demolition and investigating what happened.
The Fire Department said the blaze appeared to start in the main electrical line under Moby Dick restaurant, which was destroyed.
