After one of the most destructive fires in Southern California history, and fire season coming up, CalFire released an updated map detailing high fire severity zones.
Santa Barbara is known for its unique coastline with the mountains towering right above the ocean, it creates a unique environment that is suitable for fires.
The Santa Ynez Mountain range that surrounds Santa Barbara is enveloped with dry shrub and high winds. These two factors along with high temperatures in the summer is a recipe for natural bush fires.
Within the Los Padres National Forest there are fuel breaks which are maintained by park rangers. Fuel breaks are areas that have been maintained so that the spread of fire can slow down and give first responders a chance to manage damage.
Ben Vizzachero, a former Los Padres park ranger, raised concerns for the upcoming fire season, as there were budget cuts and layoffs that affected the national forest.
“It’s going to be less maintained and the maintenance will be delayed,” Vizzachero said. “Projects that are designed to prevent and give firefighters a head start will be delayed [due to the budget cuts].”
The biggest impact of the forest service receiving a budget cut was the loss of personnel. One of the major tasks of a park ranger was to be ready to assist in fighting fires when required to do so.
“Every Marine is trained as a rifleman. Every Forest Service employee is trained to assist the fire team,” Vizzachero said.
Mark Hartwig, Santa Barbara Fire Department’s Fire Chief, discussed the ways to stay safe during wildfires.
“Santa Barbara is susceptible to wildfires mainly because of the fuel types,” Hartwig said. “And the canyons going from the South County all the way up through the Gaviota Coast to the tunnels.”
The geography of the canyons creates a wind flow that allows for fires to break out easier by causing dry vegetation to rub together.
He recalls the recent fires that affected Palisades and the Pasadena area as a reminder to the community of Santa Barbara to maintain defensible spaces for homes.
“Hardening our homes is a great way to make your home safer,” Hartwig said. “Changing your roof or maybe the siding on your house and others aren’t so extensive, but home hardening and defensible space are really keys to making you safer during a wildfire.”
![Milton Alejandro Lopez Plascencia holds a flag showcasing the United States and Mexico on Feb. 7 in Santa Barbara, Calif. “It’s heartbreaking to see what is happening all across the country,” Lopez Plascencia said. “I [want] my voice to be heard by the community.”](https://www.thechannels.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MGSImmigration-1-1200x800.jpg)
![The new Dean of Social Science, Fine Arts, Humanities and English, Eric Hoffman beams on May 2 in Santa Barbara, Calif. "My major professor in college [inspired] me," Hoffman said. "You can really have a positive impact on people's lives in education."](https://www.thechannels.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MGSHoffman-2-1200x800.jpg)
