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WHAT: Prescribed burn of 260 acres of brush and oak understory.
WHEN: November 9-13, depending on conditions.
WHERE: Near Tepusquet Road in Tepusquet Canyon, east of Santa Maria.
WHY: These burns are part of an ongoing management effort to control non-native grasses and establish native bluff scrub vegetation. Prescribed fires typically burn less intensely than wildfires and can help prevent their spread. The burn will be conducted when the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers.
WHO: This prescribed burn is planned and coordinated by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department with Santa Barbara County APCD, San Luis Obispo County APCD, San Joaquin Valley APCD, Ventura County APCD, and the California Air Resources Board to minimize air quality impacts.
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS: If you smell smoke, take precautions and use common sense to reduce any harmful health effects by limiting outdoor activities. When you can smell smoke or when it is visible in your area, avoid strenuous outdoor activity and remain indoors as much as possible. These precautions are especially important to children, older adults, and those with heart and lung conditions. If you are sensitive to smoke, consider temporarily relocating and closing all doors and windows on the day of the burn. Symptoms of smoke exposure can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chest tightness or pain, nausea, and unusual fatigue or lightheadedness. Use caution when driving near prescribed burns.
A portable monitor will be set up nearby to monitor air quality conditions.
This burn depends on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal. If the conditions are not as desired, the burn will be rescheduled.
NEW! You can view all available information about this prescribed burn, as well as upcoming and past prescribed burns, on APCD’s new Prescribed Burns Map: https://rxburns.ourair.org/. More information about the Prescribed Burns Map: http://www.OurAir.org/102026-news-rxburnmap/.
