Record-breaking dry temperatures along the Central Coast have required the Santa Barbara County Fire Department to increase the number firefighters on hand. The additional fire personnel will insure that all three of the Type III Brush Firefighting Engines have extra staff for the current fire season. Bulldozer crews along with the helicopter crews will cover extended shifts for emergency deployment. Until weather conditions change, the additional fire crews on hand will be prepared for dispatch at all times.
Although the National Weather Service put out a Red Flag Alert for the southern coastal areas of the county on Thursday, the county fire chiefs have not, but are using extra discretion to keep the area safe from brush fires.