A strong Santa Ana wind event is bringing extreme fire risks to Santa Barbara County.
Fire officials said they are on alert, fully staffed and ready to respond to potential fires that forecasters report could “threaten lives and property” due to the dangerous conditions.
The National Weather service issued a red flag warning in effect for the Santa Barbara Mountains, including the Eastern Santa Ynez Range, until Wednesday evening.
Scott Safechuck with the SB County Fire Department said that means heavy northeast winds and dry conditions could spark fast-moving fires.
“There’s a high risk of rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior that can occur and long-range spotting, meaning the wind pushing the fire and the embers that are coming off that vegetation are going to go downwind and allow the fire to advance at a faster pace,” Safechuck said.
A wind advisory is also in place for Santa Barbara’s interior mountains until Wednesday evening. While less severe, it could still cause downed trees, power lines and outages.
Safechuck said the Fire Department is working closely with the National Weather Service to monitor conditions.
Residents can keep up to date on emergency alerts and evacuation orders at readysbc.org.
