Tag archives: wildfire
MF Chief David Neels has announced the Wildfire Preparedness Meeting with local public safety partners on Thursday, June 26, at 6 pm at Montecito Union School. The MFD with the Montecito Water District, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, neighboring fire agencies, and local community organizations will discuss how […]
If you have called 9-1-1 while in Montecito, Carpinteria or Summerland over the last 48 years, you would have been linked to a small but mighty dispatch center located within Montecito Fire Station 91 on San Ysidro Road. The South Coast Dispatch Center provided full-time dispatch services for Montecito Fire Department starting in the fall […]
Firefighter/Paramedic Garet Blake has been honored for his 15 years of service with the Montecito Fire Department. Montecito Fire Department Chief Neels presented Blake with a 15-year pin that attaches to Blake’s badge. Joining in the celebration was Blake’s wife, children, family, and fellow MFD crew. 12th Annual SB & Montecito Unified School Track & […]
The Montecito Fire Department started its 2025 chipping and fire fuels reduction program on February 18, and continues for 10 weeks, concluding on June 23. Community members may schedule a complimentary Defensible Space Survey with a member of the Montecito Fire Prevention Bureau by calling (805) 969-7762 or emailing [email protected]. MFD has an interactive map […]
The recent rain is a welcome reprieve from the dry conditions that aided in propelling the devasting Palisades Fire near Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in the foothills of Altadena. But this is no time to rest on our laurels. “A few inches of late season rain are not enough to significantly move the […]
The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art hosted a powerful, heartful, outdoor event February 20 that included stories, poems and live music about the significance of the 2008 Tea Fire. At the center of the gathering in Westmont’s formal garden was an installation, Glowing Embers, created by local artist Ethan Turpin and Jonathan PJ Smith, co-owner […]
We are in the middle of winter. January is not even over, yet over the past three months, we have seen multiple extreme, wind-driven wildfires devastate Southern California communities. The Mountain Fire in Camarillo in November burned nearly 20,000 acres and destroyed over 240 structures. The Franklin Fire in Malibu in December burned 4,000 acres […]
Artist Ethan Turpin and scientist Naomi Tague explore their combined work for WILDLAND in a free public lecture, Beyond Data Visualization: Art-Science Collaboration with Ethan Turpin and Naomi Tague, on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 5:30-6:30 pm in Westmont’s Porter Theatre. No RSVPs are needed and light refreshments will be served. Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art […]
Huge shoutouts to The Montecito Country Mart shops and restaurants for their immediate, dedicated, and generous aid for the evacuees and first responders to the L.A. Fires in toto. MCM owner James S. Rosenfield shares, “Our hearts go out to L.A. and everyone impacted by the devastating fires. Please know that we send our love […]
As Santa Barbara and Montecito export aid and comfort to the firestorm-stricken areas around L.A., we’re reminded once again that people are people (to quote a beloved local), and the impulse to jump in and help is as reflexively human as it gets. Richie’s Montecito & Adam’s Angels First Responders Donation Drop Off Richie shares, […]
When I challenge myself to start a donation pile, I lament over how many items I can’t imagine parting with; but really, it takes me five minutes to separate out my true valuables. My olive-green electric guitar, a bank box of 20 journals dating back to 2012, and enough clothes to stave me over for […]
The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art features the multimedia creations of Ethan Turpin, whose works are grounded in the natural cycles of wildfire, devastation, and recovery and regrowth from January 9 – March 22. The public is invited to a free opening reception of WILDLAND: Ethan Turpin’s Collaborations on Fire and Water on Thursday, January […]
This just in – CAL FIRE is investing more than $90 million in 94 local wildfire prevention projects across California as part of the state’s wildfire preparedness strategy. Projects focus on protecting people, structures, and communities through hazardous fuels reduction, planning and education. Over the last five years, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 […]
Montecito Fire Department is pleased to present our new website, montecitofire.com. We have revamped our website to better serve our community. This includes a new Wildfire Preparedness StoryMap, a dynamic webpage with informational videos, interactive maps and helpful resources. We developed this StoryMap as an alternative to our Wildfire Preparedness Community meetings. We heard your […]
The MJ was asked to the installation and testing of the Mighty Fire Breaker MFB-31 Citrotech®system. The test took place at a Bella Vista Drive estate in Montecito on Wednesday, July 24. This is the first location in our town to install the fire-retardant system. When I arrived, Steve Conboy, Founder, President and Chief Technologist […]
Before we close out the first quarter of 2024, Montecito Fire Protection District is pleased to share our 2023 Annual Report to reflect on our successes, challenges, and opportunities to further provide the Montecito community with exceptional service. “This report serves as a comprehensive overview of our department’s achievements and ongoing commitment to ensuring the […]
Back in 2018, when the Montecito debris flows left huge swaths of the village buried under hundreds of tons of mud and other detritus, the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade (SBBB) was all over the news. The first responders had moved on, and the job of digging out was just beginning. Nearly every outlet around ran […]
At this month’s Montecito Association Board of Directors meeting, President Megan Orloff announced the Association’s new Executive Director: Houghton Hyatt, who served on the MA Board of Directors for six years, and has helped with countless community events. We’ll have more with Hyatt and her ideas for the MA in a future edition. During Community […]
Montecito Fire Department’s (MFD) Station 91 is an understated, red-tiled building in the foothills above Montecito – at a glance more “stately hacienda” than Command Center; though the hacienda’s 30’ aerial somewhat gives the game away. Fire Chief David Neels likewise cuts an approachable figure. Soft-spoken and earnest but given to sudden grins, he is […]
After a record-setting rain season and months of mild weather, the threat of wildfire may seem like less of a concern for the Santa Barbara County South Coast this year. As we celebrated the red, white, and blue over the past week, temperatures rose significantly for the first time in 2023. No matter how much […]
