A Better Solution

The ongoing vegetation removal project near West Camino Cielo demands our attention, revealing the alarming nature of “fuel reduction” projects currently underway by the U.S. Forest Service. Mountainside residents rightfully express concern about both wildfire risk and the destruction of chaparral habitat near their homes. But there is a better solution.

From an ecological perspective, the project stinks. Fuel breaks, though intended for safety, harm vital native habitat and facilitate the invasion of non-native species that are more ignitable. The project site already shows signs of highly flammable invasive grasses emerging, and repeated treatments will result in permanent conversion — which can be seen in other areas of the Santa Ynez Mountains where the U.S. Forest Service constructed fuel breaks decades ago.

However, the situation at West Camino Cielo pales in comparison to the vastly larger threat posed by the “Wildfire Risk Reduction Project” (WRRP), currently undergoing partial environmental review by the U.S. Forest Service. The massive vegetation clearing planned within the proposed WRRP threatens to alter the very character of the Santa Barbara front-country while offering no real protection for communities. If you think the West Camino project is concerning, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

When it comes to community protection, fuel breaks are a roll of the dice. Firefighters need defensible space to safely deploy protection for homeowners. For this reason, some degree of vegetation clearing may be warranted near homes. However, fuel breaks are also notoriously ineffective when it matters the most. The largest and most damaging wildfires are nearly always driven by extreme winds (like sundowners near Santa Barbara), and wind-driven embers can travel more than a mile ahead of a fire. Fuel breaks don’t stop embers from blowing into communities, yet these embers are most responsible for igniting homes. And once some homes have ignited, they become a source of embers that threaten those around them.

Camp, Caldor, Dixie, North Complex — the list of large wildfires that destroyed entire communities is unnervingly long, yet every single one of these fires occurred under extreme conditions and moved through vast areas of “fuel treatments.” The Lahaina fire, which killed more people than any wildfire in our country’s history, burned primarily through nonnative grasses rather than dense forests or shrublands. Homes were burning well before the wind-driven fire itself even reached the town.

Fire experts overwhelmingly advocate for a more effective strategy to protect communities from inevitable wildfires: home hardening and defensible space within 100 feet of structures. Despite this proven solution, federal and state governments persist in investing billions of dollars in lofty, futile fuel treatment projects that are often well away from homes. Blame it on political optics or lack of awareness, but we need to move forward together towards a better way.

Let’s dispel the false choice between environmental preservation and community protection. A superior alternative exists.

Reach out to your local Fire Safe Council to explore home hardening solutions for your property. Massive, landscape-scale vegetation clearing harms the environment and offers a false sense of security.

Benjamin Pitterle is director of advocacy for Los Padres ForestWatch.