Day: February 27, 2026

2025 Vessel Speed Reduction Season Results and Rankings

Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is proud to report the 2025 Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season results from the efforts of participating shipping lines. Over the VSR Season, from May 1, 2025 to January 15, 2026, 787 participating vessels traveled more than 481,000 nautical miles at whale-safer speeds of 10 knots or less. This is up from approximately 425,900 nautical miles and 743 participating vessels in the 2024 VSR Season.

Read More...

Prescribed Pile Burns in South County Next Week

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department plans to conduct prescribed fire pile burns in the San Antonio Creek area (see map) next week, as conditions allow.

Approximately 20 piles of cut vegetation (approximately four combined acres) will be burned as part of the San Antonio Creek pile burns. Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff review the Smoke Management Plan and provide conditions to minimize smoke impacts in Santa Barbara County. Burning will occur when the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers.

Read More...