Road Closures Impact Santa Barbara County’s Hunting Season

It’s hunting season in Santa Barbara County, but not every hunting ground in the area will be open due to recent fires.

Los Padres National Forest rangers issued a closure order prohibiting hunters from entering the Rey Fire footprint.

“It’s a closure for public safety and it means nobody can go in there at all. They shouldn’t be there at all. It closes the roads, the trails and the areas,” said Pancho Smith, Santa Barbara District Ranger, Los Padres National forest.

The closure impacts the Rey Fire footprint, Buckhorn OHV Route and Pendola Area. The fire restrictions also include the ban of campfires on and off campgrounds.

“I’m working on trying to get that changed this week to reduce the area to where it’ll just be the fire footprint. Those areas where we can’t let the public in because of safety issues. Rolling rocks, the hillsides are sliding, the roads are not good,” said Smith.

Rangers understand the closure impacts the community, but say they can’t afford another wildfire.