UCSB Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, the Community Environmental Council, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and Santa Barbara Foundation invite the public to a free community conversation from local experts on the impacts of the Thomas Fire and January 9 Debris Flow, two years on.
The talk will be held 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, in the museum’s Fleischmann Auditorium. Live Spanish translation and ASL interpretation will be available.
In addition to the terrible direct impacts of these events on the community, ash from the fire and mud relocated to beaches also affected the health of the Santa Barbara coast and channel. The discussion will offer the latest ongoing research assessing the extent of these impacts, and what it might tell us about how to improve response to future disasters.
“We, the partnering organizations for this important conversation are committed to continuing to keep our community informed and actively engaged in our continued preparation for and response to the dynamic impacts we are experiencing in our natural systems,” the groups said.
A series of flash talks by experts in the biological and social sciences will be followed by a moderated panel discussion and Q&A with experts and local policymakers. Panelists include:
Sarah Anderson, UCSB, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Andy Brooks, UC Natural Reserve System
Tom Fayram, Santa Barbara County Flood Control
Steven Gaines, dean, UCSB, Bren School
Mauricio Gomez, South Coast Habitat Restoration
Brandon Steets, Geosyntec Consultants
Ben Pitterle, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Kim Selkoe, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
Sigrid Wright, CEO, Community Environmental Council
Financial and in-kind support from Bank of America, the Christel Bejenke Fund, and Strategic Samurai. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit sbnature.org/community-conversation.