MFPD Happenings

Later this week, Montecito Fire Protection District will release a draft amendment to its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), following lessons learned from the Thomas Fire in 2017 as well as findings from the recently released “A Defensible Community: A Retrospective Study of Montecito Fire Protection District’s Wildland Fire Program During the 2017 Thomas Fire” report. The amendment, which is being reviewed by the MFPD board of directors this week, also provides guidance as to how the District may best move forward given the new environmental conditions that the Thomas Fire and ensuing debris flow created. 

The District is seeking community input to the amendment; the CWPP was completed in 2016 by consultant firm Geo Elements, and was collaboratively developed with the help of interested parties, key stakeholders, local fire departments, and federal land management agencies. The purpose of the plan is to identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatment, as well as outline the methods that will best protect Montecito. It also addresses various measures that reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the District. 

The District will hold a special community meeting at Montecito Fire Station 1, 595 San Ysidro Road on Wednesday, February 20, at 5:30 pm to discuss the amendment. The meeting will offer a positive, solution-oriented environment in which to address the future wildfire threat to our community. All stakeholders including property owners, residents, local agencies, organizations, associations, business owners, community leaders, and interested public members are encouraged to attend.

A draft of the amendment will be made available by January 18, 2019, on the MFPD website: www.montecitofire.com. 

Also happening at the District, four individuals that have served a collective 100 years of service, retired at the end of 2018. Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal Al Gregson was with the District for 33 years. He plans on spending quality time with his family and coaching softball for his daughters’ teams. Fire Captain Drue Holthe has been with the Department for 30 years, and plans to work part time in property management, staying active and traveling with his family. 

Engineer Ed Fuentes says he feels privileged to have been in such an honorable position at Montecito Fire. Retiring after 30 years, he plans on spending quality time with his family. Wildland Fire Officer Kerry Kellogg is retiring after seven years with MFPD, after spending 36 years serving the Forest Service. Kellogg plans on remaining on the Incident Management Team, and spend time with his grandchildren.

“It has been an honor and privilege to have worked with these four individuals who have dedicated a combined one hundred years of service to the District, and served the community of Montecito. I am proud to be a part of an organization whose members give selflessly on a daily basis to keep our community safe,” Chief Chip Hickman said of the retirees.