GOLETA, Calif. -
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is going to toughen up its controlled burn permit policy after a mistake took place Tuesday at a private ranch in the Goleta foothills.
Captain David Sadecki says agricultural burn permits are issued regularly and can be used for up to a year from the date they are issued. When a property owner wants to burn old vegetation, or uprooted trees, they ask for permission on the specific day. That approval comes from the Air Pollution Control District and the County Fire Department.
A property owner on Camino Rio Verde was given a go ahead for a burn Tuesday morning, but that turned out to be an error by the end of a blustery day.
"One of the things that is our responsibility as far as this fire, it was a permissible burn day and it shouldn't have been," said Sadecki. The fire department command staff has met to discuss changes to make sure permits are not approved if conditions would be unsafe. "There was an oversight. Our communication in the future is going to be much better. Our fire chief took a very quick stance as far as a remedy for this issue," he said. "From now on we are going to make it safer for the residents."
Nervous neighbors who saw the strong Tuesday evening 'sundowner' winds and smoke in the hills, were very upset until firefighters calmed down the runaway flames at an acre and a half. No homes were lost.
"I expect them (controlled burns) to occur in the morning. But what I didn't expect is for them to happen on a day that turned out to be very windy," said resident Michael Fay.
Many have lived in the area when larger fires have come out of the hills and some were ready to evacuate, although no notice was given. The fire was in an area of light grass but next to thicker brush and an orchard.
Fay, who is a community leader, says he has been in touch with the ranch owner and there will be email messages on future burn days that will go out to homeowners in the Rancho Del Ciervo neighborhood. Residents there have a strong connection with each other. It includes phone lists and 'zone' leaders to coordinate emergency and other communications when necessary.
" I am sure we will be talking and there won't be surprises with controlled burns. I am sure of that," said Fay who is a longtime resident. He favors the ag burns and says under the right conditions they are fine, and very helpful to reduce fire 'fuel' in the nearby hills.
Sadecki says Chief Eric Peterson has personally responded to residents who have had concerns about the burn permit issue. He is closely evaluating the strongest safety measures when requests are made for controlled fires.
Agricultural burns provide a defensible space between the vegetation on the hills and homes. Sadecki says, "It can be dangerous. It needs to be done properly. We are going to make sure it is going to be done better in the future."
(More information and video will be added to this story later today)
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