Edhat StaffSource: Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Beginning June 1, 2017 the Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) began conducting defensible space inspections. A minimum of 100 feet of defensible space is required around your home in Santa Barbara County. Engine companies will perform inspections and provide homeowners with educational material on how to comply. This year new State requirements require firefighters to also collect information pertaining to the structure itself including water systems, access, addressing, fire resistance, and surrounding slope. This information will become part of a state wide database of all structures in the State Responsibility Area (SRA) and will be used for Pre-Plans, the Defensible Space Program, and for post-fire damage assessments. With the year-round threat of wildfire, the defensible space requirement is enforced at all times in Santa Barbara County. Non-compliant homeowners are subject to be cited.
The SBCFD reminds people that defensible space is the area around a structure free of flammable plants and objects that creates a zone in which firefighters can operate safely in order to help protect a home during a wildfire. This space is wide enough to prevent direct flame impingement and reduce the amount of radiant heat reaching the structure. The defensible space for each structure varies and depends on the type of vegetation and topography. Maintaining this defensible space is critical.
The Ready! Set! Go! Program was launched in May 2009 as a new approach to educating Southern California residents about the now year-round threat of wildfire. This public education program seeks to gain active public involvement in reducing life and property loss caused by wildfires.
This program is presented in three steps:
- Ready! Prepare yourself, your family and your property.
- Set! Monitor fire weather/activity and prepare to evacuate.
- Go! Leave early when directed to by public safety officials.
To learn more about Ready! Set! Go!, please visit www.sbcfire.com.
Maintaining defensible space is critical in stopping a wildfire from destroying your home. Defensible space is part of every homeowner’s responsibility.
RHS I was thinking the same thing. “It’s my Constitutional right to have trees within 30 feet of my house. It’s mine! Me! I’m an American!” —– lol just wait. They’ll be out protesting this too once Hannity reads the news for them…..
I am wondering about how the people with objections to regulations requiring masks feel about this long standing rule that is designed to protect all of us including the occupant of the house (like the occupant of the mask)? I bet they didn’t think about taking to the streets with weapons to complain before but now is a new opportunity!