The Santa Barbara County Fire Department announced the start of the 2024 High Fire Season on Monday.
Fire officials say this marks a critical period of increased fire risk and the need for heightened preparedness.
Fire chiefs from all over the county gathered at the Santa Ynez Airport to encourage residents to maintain defensible space around their properties and have a go-bag ready in case of an evacuation.
"Be prepared for an active fire season," said Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig. "I like to say we're successful because we rely on each other. We rely on each other in the county, from law enforcement to our firefighting agencies and you, as neighborhoods, ought to be reliant on each other as well, so that you can stay fire safe."
The start of high fire season in Santa Barbara County also means that all residential and hazard reduction burn permits are suspended and fire departments will increase the deployment of vital resources to combat brush fires.
Click here for more information from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department on how to prepare for a wildfire.
