AnonymousSource: Air Pollution Control District
The Los Padres National Forest has tentatively scheduled a Prescribed Burn at Figueroa Mountain and various administration sites on forest lands, with a burn window of February 3 through March 31. The goal of the series of one-day burns is to reduce the risk of wildfire. 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 1-10 acres (10-100 piles) of slash from felled dead trees and brush will be burned daily. The burn is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. on a permissive burn day. 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 prescribed burn is planned and coordinated by 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 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 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.
To view a statewide prescribed burn map and other features, visit the Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS) website: https://ssl.arb.ca.gov/pfirs/
A LOT more smoke of anything toxic in it’s path. Burning houses, out buildings and their contents could not be good for the environment. We need better forest management….now.
Why not plow the brush under vs polluting our air any more than it already is? It’s like the insane Solvang Christmas burn – What’s the point? People know crispy dry Christmas tress burn in a flash. Duh – Pointless & bad for the environment.
It is really quite extraordinary. Despite all the information readily available regarding wood smoke pollution and the ill effects of particulate matter —— a great many people steadfastly choose to remain ignorant on the subject.
Newsflash: Black carbon massively contributes to Global Warming.
newsflash: masses of dry foliage lead to dangerous fires that create A LOT more smoke
waiting for the posts the day of the burns ” Is there a fire?” ” why didnt they tell us?”
All the carbon in the brush came from the air. If a tree dies and rots away, where do you suppose it goes? Back into the air? This carbon obsession is starting to blind us to all other environmental issues. The forest is carbon neutral, and far more acres burned every year before we humans started our ongoing campaign of fire suppression. There are other truly impactful environmental issues that need to be addressed. Here is an area where we could make a difference. Cobalt is essential for making modern batteries for EVs and handheld devices. The majority of it comes from the Congo. This is certainly the cheapest source, but it comes at great environmental end human cost. Here is a WAPO article explaining the situation. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2018/02/28/the-cost-of-cobalt/ This is a major environmental problem that we could actually do something about. Clearing a few acres of brush in the forest is not an environmental concern.
a great many people seem to be ignorant of the fact that people can make their own determinations and opinions on the matter.