City and Montecito Wildfire Prevention Work Resumes
Annual Roadside and Property Chipping Begin February 29
Neighborhood chipping and wildfire defensible-space inspections start on Monday, February 29, in the Santa Barbara and Montecito foothills, along with roadside brush and tree clearance to make way for fire trucks and potential evacuations. The annual programs, headed up by Santa Barbara City Fire Department and Montecito Fire Protection District, cover roughly 3,500 and 1,000 parcels, respectively. In the Santa Barbara neighborhoods, landowners in pay more property tax to help fund the four-month effort; in unincorporated Montecito, the fire department foots the bill. While a small handful of El Niño downpours so far this winter have greened the drought-stricken region, “Things are still pretty dry out there,” said City Fire’s Ann Marx.
