A Little Safer

I’m a resident and homeowner on West Camino Cielo. Like so many others who live up here in the mountains above Santa Barbara, I’m in support of the fuel mitigation that the Forest Service is doing on West Camino Cielo.

The clearing that the Forest Service is doing on both sides of West Camino is impactful. It’s not a gentle touch. It’s clearing most of the chaparral and plant life for at least 50 feet on each side of the road. For many of us who love the native plants of this area, at first sight it can be a bit of a gut punch.

Yet many of us up here have been through the Painted Cave fire, the Tea Fire, the Thomas Fire, and many more including the most recent Lake Fire. We have felt and seen what it’s like to have a giant fire threatening to burn down the homes and the environment we love.

In those moments, we are grateful for the clearing that’s been done before the fire started. In fact we wish more had been done. We know It gives the fire crews a head start so they have a fighting chance to keep our communities safe.

This kind of fuel mitigation is part of what must be done in response to our changing climate. It’s not beautiful but I think I speak for the majority of the mountain community when I say thank you to the Forest Service for being proactive. We need and want you to take action to make our world up here a little safer.