For the second consecutive year, the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council hosted its Children’s Wildfire Art Contest, inviting young artists to explore wildfire through creativity and imagination. This year’s theme focused on fire-adapted plants and animals.
The top 10 winning pieces are on display through the end of January on the second floor of the Santa Barbara Public Library,
The art contest is designed to encourage children to think beyond the common perception that wildfire is only destructive, and instead consider its complex role in the natural environment, according to the Fire Safe Council.
The submission period, which ran late October through November, was open to all Santa Barbara County youth ages 18 and under. Outreach efforts included local schools, clubs, and youth-serving organization.
The response was strong, with many thoughtful and creative entries submitted, the council said.
“Wildfire affects everyone in Santa Barbara County, regardless of age,” the Fire Safe Council said. “While wildfires can be destructive, many fires burn without impacting daily life and can play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
“Through educational initiatives like the Wildfire Art Contest, the Fire Safe Council aims to foster a broader understanding of wildfire, how it functions in nature, and how communities can better coexist with it.”
For more about this program and other Fire Safe Council initiatives, email sbfiresafecouncil@gmail.com, call 805-220-9037, or visit sbfiresafecouncil.org.
Funding for the Wildfire Art Contest is provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Wildfire Prevention Grants Program as part of the California Climate Investments Program. Funding for the Wildfire Art Contest is also provided by Southern California Edison.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to promote wildfire safety in Santa Barbara County through education and action. For more, visit https://sbfiresafecouncil.org/.
The Wildfire Prevention Grant Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment–particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Learn more at www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.