MONTECITO FIRE BEGINS ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE PREVENTION PROJECT

The Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) will begin its annual neighborhood fire prevention program on February 27, 2017.  This season, there are 10 neighborhoods scheduled for the program.  The schedule is included on page 2. 

Announcements are sent out to property owners located in the designated neighborhoods several weeks before the scheduled project.  The District’s Wildland Fire Specialists offer property inspections and educate the residents on ways they can improve wildland fire safety measures around their home.  During the inspection, property owners are advised where they should remove or reduce vegetation to improve their defensible space. 

Vines, grass, palms, succulents, and other small trimmings can be put in dumpsters that have been donated by MarBorg Industries. The dumpsters are placed at pre-identified locations within the participating neighborhoods during the week of the project. Participants are asked to stack larger shrub and tree limb materials at the edge of the nearest passable access road for free chipping. 

MFPD offers this program to over 1,000 residents in the community. Reducing the volume of flammable vegetation helps to create more defensible and survivable space around the property and reduces the overall community threat from wildfire.  

Fire Prevention Project Chipping Schedule: 

• 2/27/17 - El Bosque, Bolero, Hodges, Periwinkle, Juan Crespi, El Dorado, Live Oaks and Randall
• 3/13/17 - Lower Romero, Oak Grove, Alisos, Olive, Piedras, Veloz, Lilac, Feather Hill, Camino Del Rosario, Knollwood, Tabor and Orchard
• 3/27/17 - Pepper Hill, Alston, Woodley and Glenview
• 4/10/17 - Chelham, Dawlish, Stoddard, Cloydon Circle and Paso Robles
• 4/24/17 - Upper Romero, Park Hill, Bella Vista, Park Lane, Park Lane West, Tollis, Winding Creek and Buena Vista
• 5/08/17 - Arcady, Knapp, Cowles, Cottage, El Rancho and Sky View
• 5/22/17 - East Mountain, Irvine, Brooktree, Oak Creek Canyon, Ashley and Ayala
• 6/05/17 - West Mountain, Coyote and Banana
• 6/19/17 - Sierra Vista, Nicholas, Ridge View, Canyon View, Sycamore Vista, Calle Elegante, Calle Hermosa, Crest View and Ranchito Vista
• 7/03/17 - Hot Springs, Para Grande and Tejas 

For more information about the neighborhood clean-up program, please contact Wildland Fire Specialist Kerry Kellogg at (805) 565-8018 or Maeve Juarez at (805) 969-2983.  You can also visit our website: www.montecitofire.com