MEDIA ADVISORY
September 14, 2026
Contacts:
Lyz Bantilan, Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara County APCD, (805) 979-8283
Michael Gray, Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara County Fire, (805) 896-6336
Prescribed Burn at UCSB Lagoon Scheduled for Today
WHAT: Approximately one acre of grassland and Coastal Sage/Bluff Scrub will be burned.
WHEN: September 14, depending on conditions. As conditions permit, the burn is scheduled to begin in the late morning or early afternoon and conclude by 4 p.m. on a permissive burn day; the actual burn is likely to last less than an hour.
WHERE: UCSB Lagoon near Campus Point and Coal Oil Point.
WHY: This burn is part of ongoing management effort to control non-native grasses and establish native bluff scrub vegetation. Building on successful past burns, this treatment will be conducted on a day within the burn window with the least amount of fog in order to generate enough heat to reduce the viability of the non-native seed bank, and on a day with the best conditions for dispersion.
WHO: This prescribed burn is planned and coordinated by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and UCSB’s Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration, 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 impacts on air quality on surrounding communities.
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS: When you can see or smell smoke 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 air 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.
To view a statewide prescribed burn map and other features, visit the Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS) website: https://ssl.arb.ca.gov/pfirs/firm/firm.php