Community Hazard Reduction Project
Fire history in the Santa Barbara area is significant. A major Wildland fire occurs in our area, on average, every ten to 15 years. Our Wildland urban interface has an increased potential for loss of life, structures and resources, both natural and economic. The Santa Barbara City Fire Department recognizes this threat and was awarded a grant in December of 2010 to reduce the potential intensity of a fire burning through the area.
The grant funding is provided by a National Fire Plan grant from the Cooperative Fire program of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Pacific Southwest Region, through the California Fire Safe Council. This, in combination with Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment and general Fire Department funds, will be used to complete a collaborative fuels hazard reduction project between the City and residents of the high fire hazard area.
Four areas have been identified in target location throughout the high fire hazard area as having the potential for extreme fire behavior. These areas did not burn in the recent 2008 Tea Fire and 2009 Jesusita Fire.
LAS TUNAS-MOUNTAIN DRIVE 1
HILLCREST 1
Through this project, the Fire Department will be working with both individual property owners and neighborhoods over the next 18 months to accomplish wildfire safety education, assist with completing fuel hazard reduction, protect natural resources unique to the area, and outline maintenance programs for continued hazard mitigation. By working with multiple property owners, there is a greater impact on reducing the community threat from wildfire.
COYOTE-CIRLCE-WESTMONT 1
EUCALYPTUS HILL 1
The fuel in the project areas will be reduced by 1/2 to 1/3 by hand cutting and chipping vegetation. This will provide a modified shaded fuel break which will allow firefighters a greater opportunity to effectively save lives and property as fire moves from the Wildland into the more densely populated areas of the City.
For more information regarding this project please call Amber Anderson, Fire Services Specialist, at (805) 564-5737