The Santa Barbara Airport Department has prepared an Emergency Action Plan in preparation for a possible flood emergency related to the effects of the Gap Fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires that all airports with commercial air service develop a multihazard emergency plan that includes natural disasters such as flooding.

The purpose of the Flooding Action Plan is to safeguard lives and minimize property damage on airport property in the event of flooding or debris flows generated by post-fire runoff from winter storms. The plan addresses flood and sedimentation concerns on the Santa Barbara Airport property that encompasses 954 acres and is based on the airport’s emergency plan.

On July 1, the Gap wildfire broke out in Santa Barbara County and burned 9,544 acres before it was contained on July 28. The fire was in the Los Padres National Forest in the vicinity of Lizard’s Mouth on West Camino Cielo Road, about 4 miles west of Highway 154 and 3.5 miles north of Goleta.

The burned area covers portions of the San Jose Creek, Las Vegas/San Pedro Creek, Carneros Creek, Tecolotito Creek, Ellwood/Winchester Creek, Tecolote Creek, and Eagle Canyon Creek watersheds. The area last burned in the 1955 Refugio Fire.

The Santa Barbara Airport lies at the bottom of four watersheds that drain into the four creeks (Tecolotito, Carneros, San Pedro and Las Vegas) on airport property. Most of airport property is in a flood plain or flood way. Historically, the airport has been subject to flooding, as experienced in 1969, 1995 (twice) and 1998. These flood events closed the airport to any aircraft operations from one to three days.

Preparations on airport property for possible creek overflows and debris deposits because of flooding include the following action items:

» Clearing of weeds from culverts and bridges.

» Removing impediments around storm drains and cleaning drain filters.

» Dredging of creeks by Santa Barbara County Flood Control District.

» Sandbagging of high-risk buildings.

» Designating a sandbag station for Airport tenants.

If flooding should occur this winter, the airport will coordinate its response with the city of Santa Barbara, the city of Goleta and Santa Barbara County.

Terri Gibson is the marketing and communications coordinator for the Santa Barbara Airport.