Firefighters staying prepared for fire season

With the recent warm weather, firefighters are staying prepared for fire season. The start of fire season is typically declared in June and can last until December but firefighters say a fire can break out at any time.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department says the recent rain can actually be a double edged sword for fires. The vegetation that comes with the rain ends up serving as new fuel for fires.

“Fire season does occur on the Central Coast pretty much year round,” Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Bob Tanner said. “Starting in May, we do our department-wide wild land refresher training.”

Firefighters recommend keeping 100 feet of defensible space outside your home and you can do that by keeping up with mowing your lawn throughout the year – not just during fire season.

“Just always be safe, just because it’s green out there doesn’t mean things won’t burn,” Tanner said.