A Very Dry Winter in Santa Barbara County

Low-hanging fogs grizzling to the ground are likely all that Santa Barbara County’s hoped-for “April miracle” rains will produce as the grasses continue to dry into crunchiness and the year’s total rainfall is nine inches below normal. The critical fire indicator of fuel moisture level, which fire departments use to measure the flammability of the countryside, is not far off from levels from the past three-year average.

“It is important to remember we did not get a lot of rain this winter,” said County Fire spokesperson Captain Daniel Bertucelli, “but the cooler weather helps keep the grasses from drying out so quickly.” Less rain also means less grass growing, but drying winds serve to lay flammable conditions in the fuel bed. Recent fires have seen helicopters quickly deployed from their Santa Ynez Valley airbase, but the air support wasn’t so much due to dry vegetation, said Bertucelli. It was rather “another tool in the toolbox” in fighting wildland ignitions.

The fuel moisture level, which is measured monthly, sat above 100 percent in all areas of the county in March, with the exception of Lompoc’s Harris Grade. There, 77 percent of the chamise’s dry weight was water — completely dry vegetation would be zero percent — an increase from January’s 62 percent, which was perilously close to the 60 percent “critical” fuel moisture level. The water content normally peaks in April, but it might have peaked in March this year.