Neighborhood Fire Prevention Project

Since 1994, the Montecito Fire Department has partnered with the community to prepare for the High Fire Season by reducing the density of vegetation along strategic portions of roadways as well as on private property. The intent of the Neighborhood Fire Prevention Project is to assist property owners in improving the defensible space around their homes, which greatly increase the odds the home will survive a wildfire. 

This year the project occurred over ten weeks starting on February 19, 2019 and concluding on July 3, 2019. During this time, 270 tons of vegetation was removed from the portions of the district at the highest risk from wildfire. 230 tons of vegetation was chipped and another 40 tons removed through roll-off dumpsters. Of the total 1,280 properties within the boundaries of the project, there were approximately 200 individual participants. “This year, we were fortunate to collaborate with the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade. Many of the woodchips created by the chipping program were delivered to the southern portion of the district where Bucket Brigade volunteers used them to stabilize slopes, decrease sedimentation into our community creeks, and improve the community trail network,” said Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor. 

“Montecito Fire Department is grateful to all the participants who helped make the 2019 Neighborhood Fire Prevention Project a success. Our combined efforts are helping create a more fire adaptive Montecito and increasing the safety of our community,” he said.

For more information regarding wildfire preparedness, please visit https://www.montecitofire.com/fire-prevention.