County Station 15
2491 Foothill Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-681-5515
Station 15 serves the unincorporated areas north of the City of Santa Barbara.
Its service area in the North extends into the Los Padres National Forest, towards the South and East up to the City-County borders and in the West it is bordered North of Foothill Road by Antone Road and Debra Drive and South of Foothill Road by Alamar Avenue.
Click here to look at the map of Station 15’s response area.
Staffing
Station 15 is staffed by three personnel: one Captain, one Engineer and one Firefighter. Additionally, through the use of extension kits the station does have advanced life-support (ALS) capability when a paramedic is on-duty.
History
Station 15 is nestled in the serene community of Mission Canyon — often referred to as Sleepy Hollow — in the shadow of Santa Barbara’s historic Old Mission. With its picturesque hiking trails, oak-dotted hillsides, and homes offering stunning overlooks, the area offers a tranquility that feels unmatched in the region.
That peace, however, has been tested repeatedly by devastating wildfires. Major fires such as the Tea, Jesusita, Sycamore Canyon, Coyote, and Thomas fires have torn through the canyon, threatening lives, homes, and the natural beauty residents hold dear.
In response to the growing need for local fire protection, the Mission Canyon Fire Protection District was formally established on January 3, 1949. During the 1950s, fire protection in the area was minimal — often limited to a single patrolman equipped with a two-way radio and a response vehicle. In June 1962, Santa Barbara County assumed responsibility for the Mission Canyon Fire Protection District.
The Department’s presence in the area continued to grow. In 1966, personnel were housed in a rented property at 2605 Dorking Place, where a firefighter lived with his family. Less than a year later, the property was sold, and operations were temporarily relocated to Station 13 until the permanent Station 15 was constructed at its current location on Foothill Road.