The first solid storm of the 2020-21 winter season brought Santa Barbara County unusual southwesterly gale-force winds and the first significant rainfall since March, soaking a parched land still struggling under drought conditions.
Officials said the rainfall will have little impact on the countyâs major reservoirs, but the moisture will reduce the danger of wildfire in a county where as recently as Dec. 6 the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for extreme wildfire danger.
Capt. Daniel Bertucelli, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, said itâs hard to say exactly how many ticks down the risk chart the rain will take the countyâs fire danger.