San Rafael, CA – Several controlled burns scheduled for late May and early June will be visible throughout Novato, so the Marin County Fire Department – which is overseeing the events – is eager to get the word out now.
Controlled burns are part of the annual training regimen for seasonal firefighters and a way to reduce wildfire fuels.The controlled burns are part of the annual training regimen for seasonal firefighters and a way to reduce wildfire fuels. This is the training that in past years has taken place on the St. Vincent property adjacent to Highway 101 in the Marinwood area. This time it will take place starting May 26 along the northern slope of Big Rock Ridge, behind the neighborhoods of Vineyard Road, Wildhorse Valley, Marin Highlands, Indian Valley, and the County Club area of Ignacio.
“This year’s training site sits just below Big Rock Ridge and is very visible from Novato,” said Marin County Battalion Chief Graham Groneman. “We know the smoke up on the hillsides will be seen from all over. Our outreach will be extensive because we would like to reduce non-emergency calls to our 9-1-1 dispatchers once we get started. The dispatchers need to be ready to handle real emergencies.”
The training area is part of privately owned H-Ranch except for a small section of the Indian Tree Open Space Preserve, which is managed by Marin County Parks. All the burning will be conducted in accordance with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and with other fire participating fire agencies in Marin, including the Novato Fire Protection District. Event organizers will be in daily contact with the air control district to evaluate smoke dispersal.
The prescribed burns on May 26, 27, and 28 and June 23, 24 and 25 will be in the westernmost areas of the ranch, just south of the residences off Vineyard Road. Fire personnel have been going door to door to notify about 150 neighbors who live closest to the burn site.
Groneman said these springtime training events will involve about 120 personnel, including 80 seasonal firefighters. Trainees will practice hose laying, hand line construction, tactical communications, and other tasks employed during emergencies. Residents can expect to see fire engines and other fire vehicles in the area before and after the prescribed burns. Visual smoke and the smell of smoke will be prevalent from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on burn days.
Groneman said the prescribed burns, which will amount to about 100 acres, are part of a larger fuels management plan that builds upon work already completed by Marin County Fire’s Tamalpais Fire Crew over the past 10 years. Instead of just grassland, the firefighters will burn high-hazard fuels like brush, french broom, downed trees, and standing dead trees.
Training organizers understand resident concerns about conducting controlled burns during a spring season that has produced very little rain. The moisture in heavier vegetation is still relatively high at this time of year, so it’s easier to burn materials that are targeted to burn during training, Groneman said. The burn site is surrounded by a combination of fire control lines and dirt roads that are in place to keep the fire from spreading beyond the training area. Additional firefighters are also on hand to support the holding operations.
“Prescribed fire can help renew the landscape by removing hazardous fuels, reduce non-native invasive plants, as well as can attract new wildlife back to the area,” Groneman said. “Fire is a natural part of our landscape and ecosystems, the reintroduction of fire through controlled burning is one of the methods we can use to help build a safer, fire adaptive Marin.
“This wildland fire training is only a piece of the broader seasonal firefighter training. It is critical to the safety and effectiveness of our firefighters. Today’s firefighter needs to be able to respond to everything from a wildfire to a water rescue, a medical call, a structure fire, or a vehicle accident. In the past we have been a profession of specialties, but now it’s about all-risk response. Live fire training is the only way to give our firefighters the skills they need to successfully fight some of our state’s most destructive wildfires.”
Local fire agencies 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 your 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.