Wildfire preparedness and disaster resilience remain critical priorities for Montecito. The Montecito Association works closely with the Montecito Fire Protection District, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, and community partners to help educate residents, share timely resources, and advocate for proactive measures that strengthen the safety and resilience of our community.
Living in a beautiful wildland community also means living with wildfire. Preparedness is a year-round responsibility—and some of the best work can be done long before fire season begins.
Wildfire preparedness starts well before an evacuation warning is issued. Residents are encouraged to think of preparedness in three stages:
READY — Prepare your home and property. Maintain defensible space, reduce combustible vegetation, clear roofs and gutters, address potential ember-entry points, and keep access routes clear for emergency vehicles. Take advantage of the cooler and wetter months to complete vegetation management and other property work.
SET — Prepare your household. Create an evacuation plan, know multiple ways out of your neighborhood, assemble Go Bags, make a plan for pets and animals, and keep important documents and medications readily accessible. Sign up for local emergency alerts and make sure every member of your household knows what to do.
GO — Leave early when instructed. During a wildfire, conditions can change quickly. Follow official evacuation information and directions from emergency personnel. Leaving promptly helps protect you, your family, and first responders.
Creating and maintaining defensible space is one of the most important steps homeowners can take to improve a home's ability to withstand wildfire. Residents should regularly remove dead vegetation and debris, prune trees and shrubs, keep gutters and roofs clear, and reduce combustible materials immediately around structures.
Don't wait until the height of fire season. Rainy and cooler months are an ideal time to tackle vegetation management and fuel reduction projects.
The Montecito Fire Protection District's Neighborhood Chipping Program provides residents with an opportunity to reduce vegetation and wildfire fuels around their properties. Residents can prepare eligible vegetation for their neighborhood's scheduled chipping period, helping create defensible space around homes and reduce fuel along local roadways.
The program is an easy way to turn seasonal trimming and clearing into meaningful wildfire preparedness.
→ Check your neighborhood's chipping schedule and program guidelines with Montecito Fire.
Every household should have an evacuation plan—and everyone in the household should know it.
Identify more than one route out of your neighborhood, determine where your family will meet if separated, designate an out-of-area contact, and make arrangements for anyone who may need additional assistance. Include pets and larger animals in your planning.
Prepare a Go Bag with essential medications, identification, important documents, chargers, clothing, water, basic supplies and other necessities. The wildfire recovery guide recommends having essential supplies available for up to two weeks and keeping important family contact information in multiple places.
Preparedness also means being ready for what comes after a disaster. Take photographs or video of the inside and outside of your home and maintain an updated inventory of your belongings.
Review your homeowners insurance regularly and understand your coverage. Keep copies of insurance information, identification, passports and other important documents somewhere you can access them if you have to leave home quickly. The preparedness guide specifically recommends completing these steps before a wildfire occurs, rather than trying to reconstruct this information afterward.
Emergency communication is essential. Residents should sign up for official emergency alerts and know where to find reliable information during an incident.
Remember that internet, cellular service and electricity may be disrupted during a major emergency. Have a backup communication plan, write down important phone numbers, keep devices charged, and consider how your family will communicate if normal systems aren't available.
Wildfire preparedness doesn't stop at the property line. Clear evacuation routes, well-maintained vegetation, informed neighbors and coordinated emergency planning all contribute to a safer Montecito.
Check on neighbors who may need assistance, talk with those on your street about evacuation planning, participate in community preparedness programs, and share reliable emergency information.
Even after a rainy winter—or during years when drought conditions have eased—our vegetation will eventually dry out. Preparation done during the wet months can make all the difference when the sun returns and fire danger increases.
The Montecito Association will continue working with our public safety partners to provide residents with information, resources and opportunities to help make our homes, neighborhoods and community more resilient.