Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council

10/15/2026

We had a great turnout for our Public Home Hardening Workshop at our Santa Barbara Red Cross office. We used the building and trees as an example site for Gustavo and Ethan's home evaluations (Hint: Trees can be safe!). Charlotte presented important do's and don'ts about the house and yard. Charles let people know about our Chipping and Firewise USA community programs. Sign up for a free, confidential 1-hour home evaluation on our website! Link in bio.

10/08/2026

Rob Hazard shared his vast knowledge from the frontlines of wildfire this week for our Ember Hour at Validation Ale last night. This was a great evening of learning, fire stories and conversations in our Pub Talk Series. We appreciate Rob, our Interim Director so much for his ideas, leadership and good company! Join us next time for more wildfire science and stories!

10/05/2026

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyMjdGkZoiRYKf7Nx4hrcs0IhbXlwHibZ3XfpI-q68Duyjig/viewform

🔥 Is your home and landscape ready for wildfire?

Join the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council for a FREE community workshop on Fire-Smart Landscaping and Home Retrofits, where you'll learn how thoughtful landscaping choices and simple home improvements can help reduce your property's wildfire risk.

This introductory workshop is perfect for homeowners, renters, gardeners, and anyone interested in making their home and neighborhood more resilient. Our team will share practical recommendations, answer your questions, and provide resources you can use long after the workshop ends.

📅 Wednesday, October 14th

🕙 5:30-7:30 PM

📍 Red Cross Office, 2707 State Street, Santa Barbara

Tag a friend who loves gardening or is interested in protecting their home! 💚

The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council is developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the Lompoc Valley to identify wildfire risks, community priorities, and strategies for building a safer, more wildfire-resilient region. If you live in the Lompoc Valley, we want to hear from you...

09/24/2026

🔥 Fire as a restoration tool!

Last week, we were excited to be invited to observe a prescribed burn at UCSB’s Lagoon near Campus Point and Coal Oil Point.

The approximately one-acre burn was planned and coordinated by UCSB’s Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER) and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, with support from air-quality agencies to carefully manage smoke impacts.

So why put fire on the landscape?

This site has been undergoing restoration to reduce non-native grasses and create better conditions for native coastal bluff scrub vegetation. Prescribed fire can help reduce the viability of non-native grass seeds in the soil, opening space for native plants to return and thrive.

The restored area also provides valuable opportunities for UCSB student research and hands-on learning about fire, ecology, restoration, and the relationship between fire and California's landscapes.

We’re grateful to have had the opportunity to see this carefully planned work in action—and to learn more about the many ways prescribed fire can be used as a tool for ecological restoration. 🌿🔥

09/24/2026

The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council is developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the Lompoc Valley to help reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community preparedness.

Your input will help identify local wildfire concerns, community vulnerabilities, and priorities for projects, preparedness, and evacuation planning.

Lompoc Valley residents: Take our short community survey and share what matters most to you.

Visit the link in bio (sbfiresafecouncil.org/lompoc-cwpp/) to take the survey and learn more!

Together, we can build a safer, more wildfire-resilient Lompoc Valley.
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El Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council está desarrollando un Plan Comunitario de Protección contra Incendios Forestales (CWPP) para el Valle de Lompoc con el fin de reducir el riesgo de incendios forestales y fortalecer la preparación de la comunidad.

Su opinión nos ayudará a identificar las principales preocupaciones y vulnerabilidades de la comunidad ante los incendios forestales, así como las prioridades para futuros proyectos, la preparación comunitaria y la planificación de evacuaciones.

Residentes del Valle de Lompoc: Complete nuestra breve encuesta comunitaria y comparta lo que más le importa.

Visite sbfiresafecouncil.org/lompoc-cwpp para completar la encuesta y obtener más información.

Juntos podemos construir un Valle de Lompoc más seguro y resiliente ante los incendios forestales.

09/22/2026

🔥 Ember Hour: The Front Lines of Wildfire 🔥

Join us Tuesday, October 6, for the next installment of the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council’s Ember Hour Pub Talk Series at Validation Ale in Uptown Santa Barbara!

Rob Hazard, Interim Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council, former County Fire Marshal, and hotshot wildland firefighter, will give us a firsthand look at wildland firefighting and wildfire behavior—drawing on his experience on the front lines of wildfire.

📅 Tuesday, October 6
🕕 6–7 PM
📍 Validation Ale – Uptown Santa Barbara
2840 De La Vina St.

Come grab a drink, learn more about wildfire from someone who has experienced it firsthand, and join us for an evening of conversation and community.
We hope to see you there! 🔥

09/21/2026

Information is power in an emergency. Stay connected: follow local agencies, monitor alerts, and know where to get verified updates. Sign up for ReadySBC Alerts and find trusted info, such as the emergency zones map, at ReadySBC.org.

La información es poder en una emergencia. Mantente conectado: sigue a las agencias locales, monitorea las alertas y conoce dónde obtener actualizaciones verificadas. Regístrate para las Alertas ReadySBC y encuentra información confiable, como el mapa de zonas de emergencia, en ReadySBC.org/es.

09/14/2026

A resilient community is a prepared community. Build or update your emergency kit with water, food, chargers, medications, and essentials. Kit checklists available at ReadySBC.org. Don’t forget to sign up for alerts!

Una comunidad resiliente es una comunidad preparada. Arma o actualiza tu kit con agua, comida, cargadores, medicamentos y artículos esenciales. Encuentra listas en ReadySBC.org/es y regístrate para alertas.

09/09/2026

Communication saves lives. Include contact details, meeting points, and backup methods in your emergency plan. Learn more at ReadySBC.org and register for ReadySBC Alerts.

La comunicación salva vidas. Incluye contactos, puntos de reunión y formas alternativas de comunicación en tu plan. Más información en ReadySBC.org/es y regístrate para las alertas de ReadySBC.

09/07/2026

Prepared communities start with a plan. Talk with your household about where to meet, how to communicate, and what to do if separated. Get planning tools at ReadySBC.org and sign up for emergency alerts.

Las comunidades preparadas comienzan con un plan. Habla con tu familia sobre cómo comunicarse y dónde reunirse en una emergencia. Encuentra herramientas en ReadySBC.org/es y regístrate para recibir alertas.