UC Santa Barbara’s Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (The Cheadle Center) will coordinate with County Fire and the Air Pollution Control District, with funding from the Associated Students Coastal Fund to conduct their 7th prescribed burn on Lagoon Island since 2011.

The half-acre burn, which is planned for about 10 a.m. Sept. 14 at UC Santa Barbara Lagoon Island, will be conducted using dried coyote brush branches as a fuel additive.

Over the past few burn cycles, the Cheadle Center’s lagoon steward has focused on establishing a diverse pallet of native annual wildflowers and a few native coastal sage scrub species. These wildflowers include native poppies and lupines and many locally rare species such as redmaids, toadflax, and Nuttall’s snapdragon.

By significantly reducing the seed bank of the non-native ripgut brome, it is possible to establish these fragile, unique species that support native pollinators. 

The ideal conditions for a burn include low humidity, no inversion layer, and wind blowing from the interior offshore or down the coast. The period of active smoke is roughly 30 minutes. Fire personnel and Cheadle Center staff will monitor the site for flare-ups throughout the day to ensure the fire is extinguished.

Direct questions to Lisa Stratton at stratton@ccber.ucsb.edu.

Click here for more information from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.