Road Clearance Update

On September 9th, the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department began it's annual Road Clearance program. So far we have completed over 3 miles of roads in just 3 weeks! We would like to thank all of the homeowners in these areas for all of the positive feedback we have received and for keeping cars parked off of the roads so our crews can work as efficiently as possible.

We would also like to remind everyone within the Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District to stay alert on the roads in your neighborhood as our crews will be working in roadways and on narrow streets. To ensure your safety and that of our road clearance crew, watch for traffic signs and slow down when driving in areas with posted notice of  road work.

2013 Vegetation Road Clearance

The City of Santa Barbara’s Fire Department will be implementing the High Fire Hazard Vegetation Road Clearance Project starting on September 9, 2013. The work will continue through December, 2013. The roads to be completed are shown in the table below.

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 area 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 we have been able to recycle 98% of the chipped material and accomplished the same this year. If you have questions related to the project or have questions related to City property requirements you can call Chris Braden at 564-5737.

Roads	Description
SANTA TERESITADR	From Santa Teresita Way to Ontare
N ONTARE RD	From Foothill to Santa Teresita
CLAREMONT RD	All of Claremont
PIEDMONT RD	From Ontare to Claremont
CANYON ACRES DR	All of Canyon Acres Dr
TREMONTO RD	All of Tremonto
RIDGE LN	All of Ridge Ln
LAS TUNAS RD	All of Las Tunas
PATERNA RD	From Lausen to Dover Rd
DOVER RD	From Paterna to APS
DOVER HILL RD	All of Dover Hill Rd
E PEDREGOSA ST	From Grand to APS
E PEDREGOSA ST	From Laguna to Grande Ave
MISSION RIDGE RD	From Alvarado to San Carlos
APS	From Pedregosa to Los Olivos
BONITA WY	All of Bonita Way
LOMA ST	From Pedregosa to Moreno
GRAND AVE	From Bonita to Moreno
EMERSON AVE	From Plaza Rubio to Pedregosa
PROSPECT AVE	From Pedregosa to Valerio
E ISLAY ST	From Prospect to Olive
GRAND AVE	From Alta Vista to end of Grand (East Side of Grand)
E MICHELTORENA ST	From Alta Vista to end of E. Micheltorena
N NOPAL ST	All of N. Nopal
LOWENA DR	From Anapamu to SB Bowl Parking Lot
EL CIELITO RD	From Mountain to Mount Calvary
GIBRALTAR RD	From El Cielito to Mountain
ROCKWOOD DR	All of Rockwood
MISSION RIDGE RD	From Mountain to Las Alturas
SYCAMORE CANYON RD	From Stanwood to Coyote Rd
COYOTE RD	From Sycamore Canyon to City Limits (731 Coyote Rd)
ORIZABA LN	From Stanwood to Conjeo
CAMINO ALTO RD	From Las Alturas to Conejo
LAS ALTURAS RD	From Camino Alto to Alisal
DREXEL DR	All of Drexel
FRANCESCHI RD	All of Franceshi Rd
BARKER PASS RD	From Eucalyptus Hill to City Limits ( 1925 Barker Pass)
CEDAR LN	All of Cedar Ln
EUCALYPTUS HILL RD	From Santa Ynez to Coronada Circle
CLIFTON ST	From Santa Ynez to Eucalyptus Hill
ALSTON RD	From Eucalyptus Hill Rd to City Limits (1011 Alston RD)
ALSTON PL	All of Alston Place
DEERPATH RD	All of Deerpath Rd
CIMA LINDA LN	All of Cima Linda Ln
OWEN RD	All of Owen Rd
SUMMIT RD	From Alston to Rametto
CAMINO VIEJO RD	From El Rancho to City Limits (940 Camino Viejo)
ALAMEDA PADRE SERRA	From Terrace Vista to Eucalyptus Hill
TERRACE VISTA LN	All of Terrace Vista

Wildfire and your Home

In order to understand the effect wildland fires have on and structures, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety Research Center created a controlled environment for simulating the effects of a wildland fire on a structure. By using a wide variety of commonly used home building materials they were able to accurately demonstrate what can happen to a home when exposed to ember bombardment. This type of event is common during wind driven wildfires. It is important to note that there are no direct flames from the ember source contacting the structure. This test is specifically designed to test building materials to embers and not direct flames.

A common misconception of why homes are lost in wildfires is the assumption that the "wall of flames" on the fires leading edge was the reason all homes are lost in a wildfire event. Fire scientists and wildland fire specialists have determined that in fact it is possible that more homes are lost in a wildfires due to ember intrusion into the structure through vents and crawlspaces, embers landing in gutters and igniting built up leaf litter and flammable material against the edges of homes. This video shows the results of mulch burning around the base of the home and the resulting effects on the structure once the mulch has ignited it. This video is a good reminder of why a homes defensible space is much more than landscaping and that small improvements, such as adding 1/16'' mesh screening to attic vents, can make a huge difference in a homes ability to withstand an approaching wildfire.