Firefighters douse a house during the Tea Fire of November 2008, which destroyed more than 200 structures including homes in Santa Barbara and Montecito. 
The Painted Cave Fire of June 1990 burned 5,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of buildings. 
One person was killed during the Painted Cave Fire of 1990. 
The Painted Cave Fire of 1990 destroyed 427 buildings. 
The June 2004 Gaviota Fire burned 7,440 acres. 
The Zaca Fire of 2007 burned 240,207 acres of Santa Barbara County. 
The Zaca Fire of 2007 burned 240,207 acres of Santa Barbara County. 
The July 2008 Gap Fire burned more than 9,000 acres. 
The Tea Fire destroyed 210 buildings and damaged 20 more after being started by an illegal campfire in November 2008. 
The Tea Fire burns in November 2008. 
A home burns during the Tea Fire that started Nov. 13, 2008. 
The Jesusita Fire burned 8,733 acres and destroyed 160 structures in May 2009. 
A firefighter keeps an eye on the flames of the Jesusita Fire in May 2009. 
A helicopter drops water on the Jesusita Fire in May 2009. 
A tanker makes a drop during the quick assault on the Gibraltar Fire which burned about 21 acres near Montecito Peak in October 2015. 
A tanker makes a drop during the June 2016 Sherpa Fire. 
The June 2016 Sherpa Fire comes close to the Las Flores Canyon oil and gas processing facility.
While massive earthquakes and floods that wash away cabins are rare occurrences in Santa Barbara County, the area is susceptible — year in and year out — to wildfire.
“Several years ago, we used to transition from high fire season to low fire season to no fire season,” county Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said. “But now, we transition basically from high to low.”
| Emergency Preparedness 2017 | Complete Series Index |
The 1990 Painted Cave Fire in the Santa Barbara foothills killed one woman and destroyed several hundred structures. By the time firefighters finally got control of the 2008 Tea Fire, 210 residences had burned down in Montecito and Santa Barbara.
Last year’s three major county fires — Sherpa, Rey and Canyon — burned a combined 52,600 acres, according to CalFire.
At the highest risk of wildfire are those who live outside urban zones — often in the foothills above and beyond South Coast cities — and are surrounded by brush and other natural fire fuel.
“We call it a high-hazard fire area for a reason,” Zaniboni said.
The first line of defense for those living in such areas is creating a buffer zone around their homes.
“We’re looking for defensible space around a structure,” Zaniboni said. “We want a 100-foot perimeter around the structure.”
While firefighters aren’t looking for people to get rid of their ornamental plants, they recommend clearing brush, grass and leaves that are wild, dry or dead. Low-hanging tree branches, which could pick up fire from the ground and ignite the tree, should be removed as well.
The same goes for tree branches hanging on or right next to a house or other structure, which could transfer the flames to the building.
Roofs and facades can also be replaced with fire-resistant materials, such as metal and tile for roofs, and brick and stucco for walls.
Keeping piles of wood, propane and butane tanks, and fire pits away from structures and vegetation, as well as clearing dead and dry foliage from roofs and gutters, are also key to keeping fire from houses.
These measures — along with maintaining wide and navigable roads and driveways, and prominently displaying street addresses — are vital to firefighters’ efforts to save residences.
In case of a wildfire evacuation or, worse, the destruction of one’s home, the county Fire Department recommends having three days’ worth of supplies ready to go, including water, food that doesn’t require cooking and pet supplies.
Families should create and practice a fire escape plan, decide on an outdoor meeting place, and make sure important documents, irreplaceable memorabilia, medications, credit cards and cash are all ready to grab in case of evacuation.
Among the indoor safety tips residents in rural or urban areas can follow to limit the risk of fire are:
» Maintaining working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
» Keeping space heaters 3 feet from drapes, beds and other combustibles
» Never using the stove to heat a home
» Inspecting and cleaning chimneys annually
» Unplugging appliances that heat up during use when done
» Never overloading outlets, leaving space around electrical equipment and not placing electrical equipment near flammables
» Never leaving food cooking unattended
» Teaching children early about the danger and nature of fire; teaching them stop, drop and roll; and keeping items like lighters out of their reach
Click here for more tips from the county Fire Department.
Upon request, the county Fire Department will conduct a free home fire-safety inspection. To schedule one, call 805.681.5500 or check out the SBCFD website to find the closest fire station.
A defensible-space inspection also can be scheduled with the Santa Barbara Fire Department by calling 805.965.5254.
| Emergency Preparedness 2017 | Complete Series Index |
— Noozhawk staff writer Sam Goldman can be reached at sgoldman@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
