Aligning with California Wildfire Preparedness Week, the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council will present Wildfire Preparedness Exposition, a community event, Friday, May 6-Sunday, May 8 at Direct Relief, 6100 Wallace Becknell Road, Santa Barbara.

The exposition is designed to educate the public about wildfire and wildfire preparedness, along with providing residents the tools they need to be prepared for the next wildfire.

The event is also intended to promote involvement in Firewise USA, a community wildfire preparedness program in which several Santa Barbara County communities are already participating so they can take charge of mitigating their wildfire risk.

Exposition hours are 5-8:30 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be an opening night reception, 5-8:30 p.m. May 6 with appetizers and beverages.

Highlighting the exposition is an immersive multimedia art exhibit called Walk Into Wildfire on May 7 that will feature a speaker series and a Q&A session with local wildfire and preparedness experts.

Tables will be set up by local organizations — such as the Santa Barbara Fire Department, LISTOS, and Office of Emergency Management — to promote their work assisting community members with wildfire mitigation.

For children and families, there will be fire engines to view, as well as other activities including the hands-on experience of putting out an actual flame with a fire extinguisher. Sunday will offer another opportunity to experience Walk Into Wildfire. Food trucks will also be present at the event.

The Fire Safe Council meets monthly. Every other meeting includes a presentation from an expert on local issues such as fire ecology, fire behavior, vegetation management, habitat restoration, infrastructure improvement, weather services, and emergency planning.

The goal of the meetings is to provide relevant information and offer a platform for community members to become part of the solutions to the challenges fire poses to local wildland urban areas.