County Fire announces two planned burns at Dangermond and Sedgwick Preserve this week

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Fire Department issued the following press release, in both English and Spanish, about planned burns this week.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is informing the public of two prescribed fires (burns) that will occur this month. The burn window is for November 13 in Dangermond and tentatively in Sedgwick on November 15, 2024. Prescribed fires typically burn less intensely than wildfires. Prescribed burns can help prevent the spread of wildfires and can reduce impacts to watersheds that can result in soil loss and sedimentation.

The two upcoming prescribed burns are facilitated by TREX (Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges). TREX
exercises bring firefighting partners together to expand their experience with prescribed burns and are
facilitated independently of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. The Santa Barbara County Fire
Department will participate by providing fire contingency resources to ensure the fire is contained to the
property of origin. Two different locations will be utilized during this event to facilitate the needs of
participants involved in this training program. Research components of this program help to refine
knowledge of the impacts of utilizing prescribed fire on the landscape.

Dangermond TREX burn:
In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, this burn will occur along Jalama Road outside of Lompoc.
Approximately 22 acres will be burned during the single day training period. A mixture of oak woodland
and grassland will be burned.

Sedgwick TREX burn:
In partnership with the UCSB Cooperative Extension, this burn will occur on the Sedgwick Reserve in the
Santa Ynez Valley. Approximately 25 acres will be burned over 1-2 days. A mixture of grasses and shrubs
will be burned.

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff review the Smoke Management Plans
and provide conditions to minimize smoke impacts in Santa Barbara County. The burns will occur when
the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers. Once
the burn day has been selected for each burn, a day-before media advisory will be issued.

TREX event prescribed burns are conducted independent of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
These events and are planned and implemented by private burn bosses in coordination Santa Barbara
County Fire Department, Santa Barbara County APCD, San Luis Obispo County APCD, San Joaquin Valley APCD, Ventura County APCD, and the California Air Resources Board in order to minimize impacts on air quality on surrounding communities. The burn is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable to smoke dispersion. If the conditions are not as desired, the burn will be rescheduled or cancelled.

Due to changing winds and weather conditions, it is difficult to predict which areas of the county, if any,
may be most affected by smoke from the burn. If you smell smoke, take precautions and use common
sense to reduce any harmful health effects by limiting outdoor activities. When you can smell smoke or
when it is visible in your area, avoid strenuous outdoor activity and remain indoors as much as possible.
These precautions are especially important to children, older adults, and those with heart and lung
conditions. If you are sensitive to smoke, consider temporarily relocating and closing all doors and
windows on the day of the burn. Symptoms of smoke exposure can include coughing, wheezing,
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chest tightness or pain, nausea, and unusual fatigue or
lightheadedness. Please use caution while driving near prescribed fire operations.