Popular Montecito Hot Springs to Become Off-Limits During Fire Weather

Santa Barbara Supervisors Vote for Pilot Project to Develop Parking Restrictions and Trail Closures

A parking ban near the trailhead to Montecito's hot springs and a trail closure may take effect this year after county supervisors agreed to enforcement funds and continued planning between county agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, and California Fish & Wildlife on "illegal watershed modification," or pool rebuilding after storms. | Credit: Courtesy

The popularity of Montecito’s hot springs fused with heightened safety concerns after the fires in Los Angeles to bring about a unanimous vote by the Santa Barbara County supervisors on Tuesday for a pilot project to develop parking restrictions and trail closures during Red Flag Warning days, when fire dangers are at their highest.

Sparked by talks held by Supervisor Roy Lee with Montecito residents, a stakeholder task force has met with Montecito Fire, county agencies, and the U.S. Forest Service, on whose land the hot springs are located, to discuss how to bring the overwhelming number of visitors to the hot springs under control during fire weather.

In addition to restricting access to Montecito’s hot springs during Red Flag Warning days, the supervisors’ new initiative would also prevent the pools from being rebuilt after heavy rainfall. | Credit: Courtesy

The plan was for the fire marshals to delineate boundaries for Red Flag zones, explained Public Works director Chris Sneddon, where parking would be banned during critical fire conditions, typically the presence of Sundowner winds when vegetation is dry. Montecito Fire Chief Dave Neels stated that high winds were already present in the area; on Monday night, the winds were gusting to 50 mph and sustained at 40 mph, or gale force.

With enforcement in mind, Lee requested the use of $25,000 from an unused parking study fund to pay the overtime costs of a sheriff’s deputy during an estimated 20 Red Flag days this year. The initiative also looks to prevent the pools from being rebuilt after heavy rainfall. The “illegal watershed modification,” as stated in the staff report, would also require enforcement, which the Sheriff’s Office is to work out with state Fish & Wildlife and the federal Forest Service. About one mile of the trail is in the county, while the rest is on federal lands. Already, one citation was issued after the last rains, Lee’s chief of staff Wade Cowper said.

In contrast to what Supervisor Laura Capps called a flood of emails supporting the plan, only one person spoke in favor of the hot springs’ usage. Wildlife biologist Vince Semonsen agreed with the need for parking restrictions and signage during high fire times, but he questioned how a deputy or ranger could keep the pools from being rebuilt on a daily basis after a flood washed them out. People would remake them, he said. “They’re good for the body and soul.”