Many regional coastal hiking trails have been changed by the harsh winter storms, espcially those in the areas of the Thomas Fire burn zone.
Now, with mainly sunny skies in the forecast for at least a week, hikers are arriving at trails that used to be familiar, but have now been altered.
That shift has lead to a number of challenges.
On Monday, an injured hiker couldn't get to safety, and rescue crews in Montecito were blocked from getting a vehicle in to assist.
That forced them to access the hiker on foot, and with air support.
The Montecito Fire Department says having a working compass in their phones could help hikers who need aid.
Fire Department technicians can use that feature to isolate their exact spot if the hikers are in need of assistance.
