Road Clearance

About Annual Vegetation Road Clearance

The purpose of vegetation road clearance is to reduce the amount of vegetation along roadways, enhance evacuation during a wildfire, and allow greater access for fire engines and equipment to respond during a wildfire.

It is very important to maintain and keep up the work that has been completed. Maintaining roadways is not only important for your safety but the safety of the community. Santa Barbara Municipal Code requires homeowners to make sure that vegetation on their property does not encroach onto adjacent roadways. This effort includes keeping evacuation routes clear of flammable vegetation and thinning vegetation along the roadways.

Thank you to all of the homeowners for your continual support and cooperation in helping reduce fuel loading and improve access for emergency equipment on the roadways.

Click Here to watch a video about this service (if it does not appear above)

Road Clearance 2023-24

The City of Santa Barbara’s Fire Department will begin the High Fire Hazard Vegetation Road Clearance in September 2023.

This year 14 miles of roads will be cleared through funds established by the Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District in both the Extreme Foothill and Foothill Zone of the City’s high fire hazard areas. Click here for the map of roads scheduled for 2023-24, or click here to view the list of roads scheduled for clearance this fiscal year. 

Since the Fire Department is not able to complete every mile of road in the high fire hazard area on an annual basis, the maintenance of the road clearance work is the responsibility of each property owner. This year we were able to recycle 100% of the chipped material.

If you have questions related to the project or have questions related to City property requirements you can call the Fire Department at 805-564-5737.