San Rafael, CA – An influx of more than $1.1 million in grant funds will help the Marin County Fire Department reduce wildfire fuels in the hills above Fairfax and San Anselmo.
Fire Chief Jason Weber said he was pleased the Marin County Board of Supervisors adopted resolutions to accept three grants December 7 worth a combined $1,131,657 from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as CAL FIRE. Fuel reduction work is scheduled through spring 2025 at the in the hills above Fairfax in and around Camp Tamarancho and in and around the nearby Bald Hill Preserve.
The accepted grant funding will help efforts to prevent wildfires in two areas of the upper Ross Valley. This four-acre blaze charred Roys Redwoods Open Space Preserve in 2014.Two of the grants were awarded for “significantly increasing the amount of acres treated for fire prevention” and chosen because of their proximity to residential areas exposed to heightened wildfire risk. Both locations are strategic for the communities of Fairfax and San Anselmo.
Both projects are expected to begin July 1, 2022.
“Our goal is to create safer recreational opportunities for the young Scouts and their families who enjoy Camp Tamarancho and the visitors to one of Marin County Parks’ many beautiful preserves,” Weber said. “The added benefit will be better access for fire vehicles to get where they need to go in case we have a real wildfire.”
The Tamarancho project involves improving access and egress along for evacuations on roadways, removing dead and dying trees near roadways and other infrastructure, reducing roadside vegetation, and other actions that will reduce the intensity and spread of wildfire. At Bald Hill, which is closer to homes in San Anselmo and Ross, there will be an additional task of clearing invasive species and enhancing defensible space around homes.
Fire agencies all over Marin urge residents to create defensible space around their homes to lower occupant danger and increase the chances of saving property during a wildfire. Responsible vegetation management and keeping driveways and roads clear of overgrown shrubs helps ensure access by first responders during a wildfire. When evaluating a home’s safety measures, consider installing fire-resistant roofing, siding, vents, and dual-pane windows as a wildfire mitigation method.
More information about fire safety can be found on the FIRESafe Marin website, the Marin County Fire website, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority website, and CAL FIRE’s Ready for Wildfire website. Learn about how to prepare an emergency kit at the Ready Marin website. Residents are urged to register their contact information with Alert Marin notification system overseen by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.