Anonymous
By the Santa Barbara County Fire Department
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBC Fire) and local fire jurisdictions join forces to announce the commencement of the 2023 High Fire Season for all areas of Santa Barbara County, effective June 5th, 2023.
With the onset of this season, SBC Fire will suspend all burn permits issued for residential burning and hazard reduction, while simultaneously increasing the deployment of vital resources to combat vegetation fires.
During the High Fire Season, it is crucial for residents, workers, and visitors in Santa Barbara County to exercise heightened awareness and prioritize fire safety. SBC Fire underscores the following key measures to ensure public safety:
Maintain Vegetation Clearance: Individuals are advised to maintain proper vegetation clearance around structures to minimize fire risks.
Review and become acquainted with the “Ready! Set! Go!” wildfire action plan, which outlines crucial steps for preparedness and response in the event of a wildfire. For more details, please visit www.sbcfire.com.
Wildfire smoke and ash contain very small particles called particulate matter, which harm the lungs and heart. The best protection against wildfire smoke is to stay indoors as much as possible, ideally in a well-sealed “clean air room” with an air purifier. The Air Pollution Control District (APCD) provides instructions to create a “clean air room” on their website. APCD’s website also provides countywide hourly air quality conditions. People are also encouraged to sign up for Air Quality Alerts issued during wildfires.
SBC Fire urges all community members to remain proactive and diligent in implementing fire safety practices during this High Fire Season. By working together, we can ensure the safety and well-being of Santa Barbara County and its residents.
The public is also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at ReadySBC.org.
Yep.. even though the fire department supplies many huge roll-off bins in Montecito over several months providing both free removal and chipping of trimmings, very little progress is made in regards to lessening of the fuel load. I shudder to think of the complete gridlock of cars trying to escape from Montecito when the winds are 30 mph and the flames are decimating the town. THEN they will all scream that it is the fire department’s and the city/county’s fault.. Maybe one day they will all take it seriously.
When ever I take a drive along hwy 192 through Montecito, and see the thick brush and tree cover spanning most of the community, I always wonder IF the fire department ever requires that property owners thin out all of this highly combustive material. This all acts as a “fire bridge” that helps the fire spread from property to property and raises the risk of entire communities being wiped out.
IS this something that the fire department needs to get aggressive about or do we just accept the fact
that homeowners in these areas will never be able to get traditional fire insurance again and just have to accept that they will get burned out every 20 years or so as temperatures are rising and the fuel load is not being well managed by anyone?? Isn’t protecting the community a large part of what governmental entities are supposed to be about? Is it time to get more aggressive about making landowners more compliant and work together to reduce some of the fire risk in our communities??
There is: https://sbcfire.com/defensible-space-program/
@ YETI- Excellent observation. The heavy canopy over the routes of egress in Montecito is a potential Oakland Hills fire disaster X’s 10. Wildland-urban interface areas like the SB Foothills and Montecito are predictable and preventable disasters. Imagine the uproar of Montecito residents if trees were trimmed and cut so you could acutally see unobstructed sky from all along the center of the 192 … Outrage over trimming and or removing trees and outrage after an event should occur and nothing was done…