Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department will be conducting a prescribed Vegetation Management Burn approximately four miles southeast of Los Alamos at 10505 Highway 101, at the BarM Ranch (also known as Barham Ranch). The targeted burn window is from mid-October to early November 2019. The goal of this two-day burn is to reduce the risk of wildfire by removing old growth flammable vegetation while helping to improve range land. Prescribed, or planned, 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.
Approximately 557 acres of Chaparral, Oak Woodland, and Sage Scrub will be burned. On each of the two burn days, the burn will begin at 8:00 a.m. and will conclude by 8 p.m. on a permissive burn days. No agricultural or residential burning will occur during the prescribed burn.
The goal is to conduct the two-day burn on consecutive days, but only as conditions allow. Once the optimal burn day has been selected within the burn window, additional public notification will be provided the day before the burn begins.
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff have reviewed the Smoke Management Plan and provided conditions to minimize smoke impacts in Santa Barbara County. The burn will be conducted when the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers.
This vegetation management prescribed burn is being planned and conducted on private land pending final approval from Cal Fire, 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.
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 burns. 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.
Blather on and on about minimizing “smoke impacts” and then list all the ill effects of breathing in smoke. Good one.