Residents who incurred financial losses due to storm damage are encouraged to apply for assistance as soon as possible online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. An application for assistance can also be made by downloading the FEMA app in the Apple and Google store. This allows documents to be uploaded to FEMA directly and track the status of applications.

If you cannot live in your home at this time due to storm impact causing water damage, mold, mud, or inability to access your home, please make sure you include this in your application.

If you are unable to navigate the website, the Call Center can provide you with the information posted. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (833) 688-5551.

RECOVERY RESOURCES: The County is continuing to gather resources for community members impacted by the January 2023 winter storm event. This January 2023 Storm Recovery Webpage is a source of resource information, including links for wellness counseling support, housing assistance, information to aid in rebuilding, permitting, hazardous material clean-up, loss of business or employment, and other topics.

Additional information on Debris Management Resources can be found on ReadySBC

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a “BEACH CLOSED” notice today in response to a spill of untreated sewage.

The spill involved a release of approximately 5,760 gallons of sewage from a compromised sewage line to San Ysidro Creek, on East Valley Lane in Montecito. As a result, Miramar Beach and Fernald Point Beach, within 2,000 feet of the San Ysidro Creek outfall adjacent to Posilipo Lane, have been closed to recreational water contact. The affected area has been posted with signs warning the public to avoid contact with the water until sample results indicate the water is safe for recreational use. Contact with sewage-contaminated water increases the risk for certain types of illnesses.

In addition, with the recent rainfall, Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services wants to remind residents about potential health risks associated with stormwater runoff at countywide beaches. Stormwater is untreated rainwater that flows through the drain system into creeks, the ocean, and other waterways. Contact with stormwater while swimming or surfing may increase the risk for certain types of illnesses, such as rashes, fever, chills, ear infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. Unlike the municipal sewer system, water carried by a storm drain system is not treated. To minimize potential health risks, it is recommended that people do not swim, play or surf in the ocean and creeks for at least three days following a rain event. Beachgoers should also avoid areas near the outfall from drainpipes and creeks that enter the ocean following a rain event, as stormwater runoff may carry high levels of bacteria and pollutants.

To find out what is being done to improve water quality and how you can help, visit www.sbprojectcleanwater.org.

Please stay off Summerland Beach until the situation is resolved! Lookout Park continues to be open but access to the beach is closed. I know how frustrating that is for Summerlanders who are used to taking their daily walks on the beach but it is critical to the clean up and personal safety that folks stay out of the area for now. As I learn more information on the source and timing of the issue being resolved, I will share that info. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.