High Fire Season Comes with More Equipment and Renewed Planning by Residents to Respond Safely
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The transition to high fire season has begun and it will be like turning on a power switch for fire agencies.
With the first sign of smoke, a full response goes out and it will be adjusted depending on what the fire source is and its potential growth.
This includes extra engines, water tenders, aircraft, bulldozers, mutual aid and command teams.
“We are going to dispatch the most resources that we possible can to each vegetation fire reported vegetation fire within the county,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig in a briefing at the County Fire headquarters.
He was flanked by area fire leaders and front line firefighters. That included cities within the county, CalFire and the U.S. Forest Service which is dealing with lightening-sparked fire right now from the monsoonal style weekend storm in the back country.
Some of the engines that will be used to fight the fires were on display including engines used for structure fires and wildland fires.
Fire officials are also requiring property owners to clear back brush away from their homes and remove flammable items stacked near their structures.
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann said she even dug up some plants. “Zone zero the area within five feet of your home. Remove anything flammable, wood piles, dry vegetation you are not even supposed to have plants. I took all of my foundation plantings that I was very proud of.”
There will also be an education outreach about the potential for intense weather, including winds similar to what was devastating to the Palisades and Alta Dena communities. Montecito Fire Chief David Neels said, during that specific fire, conditions in Montecito were very close to the same wind and fuel moisture levels, which created a serious watch locally for several hours.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said fires can sometimes move faster than the alerts can come out. “If at any time you do not feel safe, leave immediately. Furthermore deputies may use a high low siren to signal the need for rapid evacuation.”
And in crowded areas with tight roads. “it is very possible that you will be out on the road with all of your neighbors. At that point and as we found down south you could be stuck in gridlock and not to be able to get out at all,” said Hartwig.
The Montecito community has been tested many times over including during the 2017Thomas Fire which came with some advance mobilization to clear residents out and bring in fire hoses and engines. Chief David Neels says “our preparedness and the things we were able to do way before the fire came into our community helped our resiliency. ” He also says, there’s weather equipment at different slope levels for real-time data and the differences between what is felt close to the beach in Montecito compared to what is likely moving aggressively in the upper hills. Sometimes the winds can jump up in the area above what is forecasted and get to over 70 miles an hour which moves a fire into populated areas quickly.
Supervisor Laura Capps said the alerts in English and Spanish come out to those who sign up at ReadySBC.org. You can add multiple numbers including family members or your workplace. She also suggested residents meet their neighbors or at least leave them a note with your phone number in case help is needed in a crisis.
Through the ‘Ready! Set! Go! Program,’ there is also information, resources, contact numbers and diagrams linked to fire safety for all.
For information on the ‘Ready! Set! Go! Program,’ please log on to www.sbcfire.com
Ventura County Fire is expected to declare High Fire Season on June 22.
Restrictions on fires in the Los Padres National Forest for campers will be put out soon.
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