Loma Alta Drive Hillside Recovery and Mitigation Measures Complete

The City of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce that the recovery and mitigation efforts along Loma Alta Drive are now complete, following the Loma Alta Fire that occurred on May 20, 2021. The fire, which burned approximately nine acres and caused damage to several residences, was swiftly contained by fire personnel.

As a precaution, the City’s Public Works Department closed Loma Alta Drive between Coronel Street and Marilla Avenue during the last three rainy seasons. Concrete barriers were also installed below the burn area to protect the roadway. Despite the past two winters bringing heavy rain, there was no significant impact to the roadway or storm drain system. After more than three seasons, the hillside has regained sufficient vegetation and soil stabilization, returning to its pre-fire stormwater runoff potential. The mitigation measures were completed successfully and are no longer needed.

As we approach the rainy season, residents are reminded that the risk of soil displacement due to extreme weather exists in many areas. The City encourages everyone to develop an emergency preparedness plan. For resources, visit the Office of Emergency Services: Prepare webpage.

The community is encouraged to sign up for ReadySBC Alerts, which is the County’s notification system that allows public safety officials to alert community members of emergencies and any necessary protective actions, such as evacuation and sheltering in place. Alerts and warnings can be sent to your mobile device (call or text), email, landline phones, and TTY/TDD. For more information, visit ReadySBC.org.

For any questions, please contact Brian D'Amour, City Engineer, at BDamour@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

For information about the Public Works Department, visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/PublicWorks.