Santa Barbara City Firefighters Perform Drill at Granada Theatre

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department is conducting a drill at the Granada Building in downtown Santa Barbara on Wednesday.

From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. firefighters blocked off the 1200-1300 block of State Street to perform an evacuation drill and structure fire simulation.

The fire department states that smoke and multiple fire engines will be visible but this is just a drill.

“Please note that the 1200-1300 block of State Street will be closed for the duration of this exercise.
We appreciate our community staying clear of the area for a safe and successful drill,” the Fire Department states. 

The Granada Building is eight-stories high, the tallest building in Santa Barbara, built in 1924.

Smoke pouring out of the Granada Building in Santa Barbara with fire trucks on State Street, created a realistic look to a drill this morning. Santa Barbara City Fire and a county crew also did a simulated rescue. The new $1.67-million ladder truck was used. (photo: SB Fire) pic.twitter.com/TRNknCeRii

— John Palminteri (@JohnPalminteri) September 3, 2025