Santa Barbara Bans Wood Roofs

In response to a disastrous wildfire that destroyed more than 400 homes and blackened 4,500 acres, the city of Santa Barbara has prohibited all new wood shake and shingle roofs.

In the foothills, canyons and other areas where fire danger is high, new asphalt and other kinds of combustible roofs were also banned by the city.

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban the shake and shingle roofs as residents gear up to replace or rebuild homes, apartments and businesses destroyed by last month’s wildfire. The city recommends that new roofs be built of clay, metal or cement, said Mayor Sheila Lodge.

“This is not a guarantee that your house won’t burn,” Lodge said, “but it sure gives you a better chance.”

The City Council also decided Tuesday to maintain a ban on lawn watering that has been in effect since February.

Earlier this month, the council voted to lift the ban, in part, because of the fire danger from dry grass and withered vegetation. But before the decision went into effect, council members changed their minds.

The city had expected to receive emergency water supplies this summer and was negotiating with a firm for temporary use of an oil pipeline to import water from Northern California. But negotiations broke off recently and the anticipated source of water is no longer available, Lodge said.

“I know people are very concerned about fire danger and if we can get some other emergency supplies this summer we’ll lift the lawn watering ban,” Lodge said. “But at this point, we don’t have the water to spare.”