News
News Releases & Air Alerts
Transition from a High Fire Season to a Winter Preparedness Level – Information on Burn Permit Program
On November 21, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department transitioned from a High Fire Season to a Winter Preparedness Level. With this transition, the ban on permit burning within State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) within the jurisdiction of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been lifted. Individuals with a valid burn permit may resume permitted burning in Santa Barbara County on permissive burn days. Please note: These permits are issued for burn piles only and are not intended for the burning of standing vegetation, which is considered prescribed burning and is only conducted by fire departments and land managers.
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Becomes State Law in one of the World’s Biggest Economies
A landmark law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month expands Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) into a statewide program. After three years of effort, Assembly Bill 14 by Assemblymembers Gregg Hart (Santa Barbara), Steve Bennett (Ventura) and Damon Connolly (San Rafael) became law on October 11.
APCD’s Permitted Facilities Map Wins National Award
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is excited to announce that its newly upgraded Permitted Facilities Map recently won the “Best Practices” award given by the national Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA). APCD received the award at the AAPCA conference in North Carolina in September. APCD is one of the only air districts in California to provide such a tool.
Prescribed Burn Information
Prescribed Pile Burning Scheduled for Next Week
WHAT: Prescribed pile burning of 1-10 treated acres of slash from felled dead trees and brush.
WHEN: December 8-12. Additional series of burns will occur through the winter as conditions permit. Most burning operations will begin in the morning and conclude in the afternoon. However, some burning operations may continue through the evening to allow for full consumption of flammable material.
WHERE: Burning will occur at various forest administrative sites (updated on Los Padres Twitter/X and Facebook accounts).
Sedgwick Prescribed Burn to Start Saturday
WHAT: Approximately 281 acres of sage and oak understory will be burned.
WHEN: November 8-10, depending on conditions.
WHERE: Sedgwick Reserve in the Santa Ynez Valley.
WHY: The burn is being conducted to reduce fuels in the area to protect neighboring communities.
Administrative Site Pile Burning Scheduled for November to December
The Los Padres National Forest has tentatively scheduled prescribed burns at various administrative sites on forest lands (Campgrounds, Trailheads, and Fire Stations) with a burn window of November through December. The goal of the burns is to reduce the risk of wildfire. Prescribed, or planned, fires typically burn less intensely than wildfires. Prescribed burns can help prevent the spread of wildfires and can reduce impacts to watersheds that can result in soil loss and sedimentation.
Public Notices
Notice of Public Review and Comment Opportunity
Google, LLC has applied to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) to increase the permitted daily hours of operation for eight Emergency/Standby Diesel Generators at 301 Mentor Drive in Santa Barbara. The engines are used to provide backup power to their facility during emergency events. The engines are currently permitted to a maximum of 2 hours/day of operation, but this permitting action will increase that allowance to 4 hours/day to accommodate annual load testing requirements. You are receiving this notice because the engines are within 1,000 feet of the property boundary of St. Raphael School.
Notice of Public Review and Comment Opportunity
Crestwood Behavioral Health, which is a mental health care facility, has applied to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) to operate a linear generator at 303 South C Street in Lompoc, used to provide prime power to their facility. The location has property boundaries that are within 1,000 feet of the property boundary of Hapgood Elementary School.
Notice of Exemption
For the purposes of review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the District’s Regulation VIII, New Source Review, the project consists of the actions described in District permits no. PTO 15962 01, PTO 15978 01, ATC 16435, ATC 16459, and ATC 16460. These permits authorize operations and equipment in support of the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of oil and gas wells associated with Platform Hogan and Platform Houchin.
