Vegetation Road Clearance Begins

The City of Santa Barbara’s Fire Department will begin implementing the annual High Fire Hazard Vegetation Road Clearance Project starting next week within the Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District. The work will continue through February 2018. For the full list of roads we will be completing this year, click here. 

This year 14.5 miles of roads will be cleared through funds established by the Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District in both the Extreme Foothill and Foothill Zone of the City’s high fire hazard area. 

The purpose of Vegetation Road Clearance is to reduce the total amount of vegetation along roadways, enhance evacuation during a wildland fire and allow greater access for fire engines and equipment to respond during a wildfire. 

It is very important to maintain and keep up the work that has been completed. Maintaining roadways is not only important for your safety, but the safety of the community. 

Since the Fire Department is not able to complete every mile of road in the High Fire Hazard Areas on an annual basis, the maintenance of the road clearance work is the responsibility of each property owner. Santa Barbara Municipal Code requires homeowners to make sure that vegetation on their property does not encroach onto adjacent roadways. This effort includes keeping evacuation routes clear of flammable vegetation and thinning vegetation along the roadways. 

In years past 5 years we have been able to recycle 100% of the chipped material. If you are interested in obtaining wood chips or have any other questions about the Assessment District or Road Clearance, you can call the Fire Department at 965-5254.

To watch a short video about the Vegetation Road Clearance Program, please click the here.