As Los Angeles Burns, Mayor Rowse Sends a Message to Santa Barbara
Residents Concerned About Water Supply in Event of Fire
Mayor Randy Rowse said he’s received 20 or 30 emails from Santa Barbarans asking if the city is going to run out of water if there are wildfires like in Los Angeles.
The concerns stem from reports earlier this week of fire hydrants running dry as firefighters worked to battle the devastating wildfire in the Pacific Palisades, where 19,978 acres and many homes, businesses, and landmarks have burned since Tuesday.
“If there’s anything we’ve had practice at, it’s wildfire,” he said. “I get it. I was in Glendale evacuating my mother-in-law. It was apocalyptic. It’s a very emotional, very horrifying thing.”
Rowse compared Santa Barbara’s beauty to Lahaina’s, which was destroyed by a wind-driven fire in 2023. “It’s so beautiful. How can that happen here?” he said he’s asked. “It’s happened here. People forget,” Rowse said. Getting water up a hill has its own challenges, he noted, and fire suppression taps into the water supply, which hurts the pressure. “A lot of people live way up in areas on hills, beautiful but risky.”
He’s been checking the weather charts, observing that the marine weather forecast was mellow for Friday and Saturday. “It picks up again on Sunday, but we’re getting northwest winds, which is good. When it shifts to the northeast is when there are problems. A fire might be under control but the winds pick them up again.”
While a couple of engine crews have been called from the city’s fire department to Los Angeles, Rowse assured that the fire stations remained staffed. “You’ve gotta have coverage,” he said, adding, “The one time government seems to work well is mutual aid. The fire departments cooperate interagency-wise like no others.”
This is Rowse’s message to the city:
Dear Fellow Santa Barbarians,
Many of you have voiced legitimate concerns about our local state of readiness in terms of plans, personnel, and public safety capabilities as the catastrophic situation to the south of us unfolds. As recent history shows, Santa Barbara is no stranger to these disasters, and our preparation and planning evolves with every experience. During these events, our multi-agency response and coordination has been impressive and effective, but citizen cooperation is a key element in saving lives and property.
Our police and fire departments will provide as much advance warning as possible, and issue evacuation orders only when necessary. It is essential that these directives are heeded to maximize our ability to respond. More detailed information is forthcoming, but your part in this procedure is of utmost importance.
We live in an incredibly beautiful place. One of the prices we pay for that is constant exposure to natural disaster from fire, earthquake, and extreme weather events. Each of us has an inherent duty to be prepared. The City focuses on these issues continually, provides periodic safety briefings, and, upon request, performs neighborhood safety briefings as well.
Please help protect what we love.
Randy Rowse
Mayor
