North Santa Barbara County community awarded Firewise status
LOMPOC, Calif. – Rancho Santa Rita Estates is the first north Santa Barbara county community to be awarded the Firewise USA community status by the National Fire Protection Association.
The Firewise USA program is designed to create local solutions by involving individual homeowners in preparing their communities for the risk of wildfires.
To receive this distinction, residents participated in wildfire risk assessments, volunteered for fire safety activities, and created a three-year plan to reduce the risk of wildfires in the surrounding area.
Retired Fire Marshall Scott Coffman and Community Wildfire Resilience Lead Anne-Marie Markinson helped to coordinate this process that four other south Santa Barbara county communities have achieved.
The Lompoc housing community has experienced multiple fire evacuations making the area a critical region in reducing the impact of wildfires.
