Anonymous
The second series of pile burns will start Thursday, March 7. Additional series of burns will occur through June 1; additional notification will be made each week when burning is expected to occur. Burning operations will begin at approximately 9am and be finished by 4pm on permissive burn days.
Three separate burn plots are located west of Rucker Rd. and east of East Mesa Oaks subdivision, north of Galaxy Way and Titian Avenue between Oakhill Drive and Northoaks Drive.
Burton Mesa Pile Burn Project to Start on 2-26
The first series of pile burns will start Tuesday, February 26 through Friday, March 1. Additional series of burns will occur through June 1; additional notification will be made each week when burning is expected to occur. Burning operations will begin at approximately 9am and be finished by 4pm on permissive burn days.
Three separate burn plots are located west of Rucker Rd. and east of East Mesa Oaks subdivision, north of Galaxy Way and Titian Avenue between Oakhill Drive and Northoaks Drive.
This pile burning operation is the most efficient way to eliminate biomass created as the result identified defensible space treatments. The treatment and elimination of cuttings will help to safeguard the surrounding community in the event of wildfire.
A temporary air monitor has been placed near the burn site. Air quality conditions will be available on the APCD’s website: www.OurAir.org/todays-air-quality
Source: Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District
Burton Mesa Pile Burning Project To be Scheduled, Weather and Conditions Permitting, February 25 through June 1
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department will be conducting pile burns in the Burton Mesa area over several days starting as early as February 25 and through June 1. The goal of these burns is to reduce biomass created as the result of community defensible space treatments completed by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department last year. Community defensible space treatments help to reduce potential property loss as well as reduce the risk to homeowners in the event of wildfire.
Approximately 60 piles will be burned throughout the burn window. Burning operations are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by 4 p.m. on permissive burn days. 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 series of pile burns is coordinated with the 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 project is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable to smoke dispersion. If the conditions are not as desired, the burn project will be suspended until conditions are favorable.
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.
For more information regarding the county’s air quality, visit www.OurAir.org.
Would you rather have catastrophes like the Thomas Fire, and all of THAT smoke and destruction, or smaller controlled burns? Smaller burns prevent massive wildfires, and also cause less damage to the ecosystem and wildlife.
Within our lifetime, or the lifetime of those of us who have at least another 20+ years left to us, such controlled burns will be banned. Archaic now and decidedly moronic way to enact wildfire prevention.
The American Lung Association has declared wood smoke a “super pollutant.” We know that wood smoke is more harmful to lungs than cigarette smoke. Wood smoke contributes to acid rain and thus harms our planet. The air, after our recent beneficent rains, has been crisp and clean. What a shame we pollute the air with these burns.
I’d much rather have small controlled burns to prevent wildfires, would you not? Woodchippers burn fossil fuels, then the mulch (flammable) has to go somewhere too. Our entire ecosystem here in SoCal is based on periodic burns, but in order to keep those at bay, some work does need to be done.
The smoke smell was in the air throughout the Lompoc area yesterday, day one of these burns. APCD will have a hard time achieving its air quality goals this year, that’s for sure. Interesting that APCD air monitors are sorely lacking in the No. County, especially with all the oil development up here. Guess APCD doesn’t want to measure all the bad stuff so they can claim clean air in our county. Chaparral burns, cannabis growing, high intensity oil extraction. The No. County needs help!
so what, then, is a less moronic, equally efficient way to handle this in your mind?