Protect your Home from Wildfire!
Learn more about how you can Prepare for Fire Season!
Being prepared for the next wildfire means taking the personal responsibility to protect yourself, your family, and your property. The most critical person in preparing and protecting your life and property is not the firefighter, but you, the property owner.
In order to reduce this potential and as a part of the Department’s Defensible Space and Hazard Reduction program the Santa Barbara County Fire Department sends notices to abate fire hazards to the owners of all properties in county fire jurisdiction that potentially pose a fire hazard. These notices indicate the start of yearly weed abatement requirements.
It is not a matter of “if” another wildfire will occur in our area, but “when”.
Learn more about how to protect your home from wildfire.
Wildfire Action Plan
We strongly recommend that you evacuate when told to do so by authorities. Your property can be replaced, but your life cannot.
We are launching a guide to address situations where you are not able to get out safely in time. It can help homeowners to be prepared for those quick-starting fast-moving fires, like the Painted Cave, Sycamore and Sedgwick fires, that are the most dangerous to lives and property here in Santa Barbara County. These types of fires can cause entrapment in your own home. Please Download this guide to develop your Wildfire Action Plan. Go through the checklists and help your family to be better prepared to survive this event should it ever occur in your neighborhood.
Fire Resistive Construction Recommendations
Houses protect people if people protect houses!
It is very important to realize that although no (livable!) house is fire proof, there are steps you can take to make it a lot more fire-safe! Some changes can be done very quickly and inexpensively. Others may require more effort, expense, and in some cases professional help.
In conjunction with your Wildfire Action Plan, we suggest you visit the California Homeowner's Wildfire Mitigation Guide which includes recommendations for Fire Resistive Construction for home improvements, repairs, additions and maintenance.
We recommend that you visit this web site to find information on each specific item by clicking on the individual picture icons listed there. Plus, these two additional links have information about your roof or other vulnerable parts of your home and include information on other possible problems and solutions that can make your home a safer refuge during a wildfire.
These recommendations are in compliance with County and State Building and Fire Codes and are offered with permission by the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Sign up for Red Flag Alerts
A Red Flag Fire Alert is a wildfire danger warning.
A Red Flag Alert in your area means that the combinations of terrain, weather and fuel moisture are at hazardous levels and could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. Be prepared!
Click Here to Sign Up for Red Flag Alerts.
The Red Flag Alert Plan utilizes available Santa Barbara County Fire Department forces, cooperating fire agencies, citizen groups, and the news media to inform the public of high fire danger, the potential for a major wildfire, and the need to be aware of and exercise fire safe practices during these periods.
Curious Children Set Fires - Practice Fire Safety in Your Home
Each year about 150 people are killed and $200 million in property is destroyed in fires attributed to children playing with fire. Children make up 15-20% of all fire deaths.
We want to encourage parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire. Children under five are curious about fire. Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy.
- At home, children usually play with fire in bedrooms, in closets and under beds. These are "secret" places where there are a lot of things that catch fire easily. Supervise young children closely. Do not leave them alone even for short periods of time.
- Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet.
- Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters.
- Check under beds and in closets for burned matches, evidence your child may be playing with fire.
- Develop a home fire escape plan, practice it with your children and designate a meeting place outside.
- Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is a tool, not a toy.
- Teach children the nature of fire. It is FAST, HOT, DARK and DEADLY!
- Teach children not to hide from firefighters, but to get out quickly and call for help from another location.
- Show children how to crawl low on the floor, below the smoke, to get out of the house and stay out in the case of fire.
- Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
- Install smoke alarms on every level in your home.
- Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm.
- Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year and replace the smoke alarm every ten year
Car Seat Safety
Each
year children suffer serious injury or death in car accidents. Children
need special protection when traveling in motor vehicles and many of these
injuries can be prevented by the correct use of child safety seats. It is
estimated that 80-90% of child safety seats are improperly installed. The
best car seat is one that fits the child and the vehicle, and one that is
easy to install and is used every time the child is in the car.
Learn more about the Car Seat Safety
Program and upcoming classes!
Landscape Design Can Save Your Home
The Department’s Fire Prevention Division (as part of our Hazard Reduction Program) has put together this Guide to Commonly Used Native and Ornamental Plants. Homeowners, Gardeners and Landscapers should download this guide (pdf) as a reference..
A
good landscape design can significantly reduce or prevent wildfire damage
to home and property. Sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara the Firescape
Demonstration Garden is designed to show how landscaping can be
firesafe, water efficient and beautiful all in one design. The garden lies
within a fire prone, oak woodland environment. It features 1.7 acres of
water efficient, native and non-native plants. The garden is designed as
a self-guided tour and is divided into four zones that help reduce the spread
of wildfire to your home. The garden is located at the intersection Mission
Ridge Road and Stanwood Drive, across from the City of Santa Barbara Fire
Station at 2411 Stanwood Dr. The garden is open from 8A.M. to sunset daily
and admission is free!
Fire and Life Safety Trailer School Program
Firefighters really get a lot of gratification teaching children about Fire
Safety. Every year Firefighters throughout Santa Barbara County do so in a
very positive way by visiting all the public and private elementary schools
in their jurisdiction with a specialized program on Fire and Life Safety.
In 1995, Firefighters in Santa Barbara County launched this unique program
using a specially modified travel trailer. The program works so well, not
only it is a fun learning experience for them but the children are like sponges
and “soak up” all they see, hear and do. When they get home they
can’t wait to share what they have learned with their brothers.sisters
and parents too! It is estimated that over 25,000 kids have experienced this
important program and that for every child 4 other family members directly
or indirectly benefit from the sharing of the lessons at home.. .......More
