Smoke may be visible from Santa Barbara Airport Wednesday during emergency drill

People might notice smoke coming from the Santa Barbara Airport Wednesday, but it’s not a real emergency.

The airport is conducting a full-scale disaster drill exercise from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The exercise is done every three years so emergency organizations can practice responding to a major aircraft disaster.

People driving along Hollister Avenue between Aero Camino and Los Carneros might see smoke coming from the airfield area just north of the main runway.

Local students and community members will volunteer and act as “victims” in the drill.

Nearly two dozen agencies will be participating, including Santa Barbara’s airport, fire, and police departments, the city’s office of emergency services, and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The FAA and TSA are also involved, as well as airlines that fly in and out of the airport.

The drill was planned well before last month’s C-130 crash landing at the airport. No one was hurt in the crash, and airport officials said their response went as well as it possibly could.