For Santa Barbara resident Alden Fairbanks, wildfire season is, "All about being proactive."
Fairbanks showed me all the ways he’s customized his property to be fire-ready — from landscaping in the front yard...
"Everything we’ve done here is fire retardant. Succulents don’t really catch fire," Fairbanks explained.
To brush control in the back...
"I've taken it upon myself to regularly go up there and spray at the very beginning to knock down all the weeds so all we have are trees, but we don't have the undergrowth that really presents the hazard," he added.
Fairbanks also installed several water spouts around his property.
"If the fire comes, I’m not running. I’m fighting the fire," Fairbanks said.
Resident Carolyn Gorny won’t be fighting any fires herself, but she is ready to evacuate if necessary.
"Really, the key thing is that we have our go-bag with our important documents, and then, you know, the things that you would need if you were out of your house for 3-4 days," Gorny explained.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department wants to hear from local residents about how the future Community Wildfire Protection plan can be improved. These plans provide a framework for mitigating wildfire impacts throughout the area. Workshops will be held this Tuesday and again next Wednesday starting at 6 p.m.
"Be prepared before the fact. Don't deal with a disaster afterward," Fairbanks warned.
To sign up for the workshop, visit Santa Barbara County Fire.
