Fire Safe Marin will help your neighborhood navigate the process and complete these steps to becoming a recognized Firewise USA site. Communities develop an action plan that steers their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live. Neighborhoods throughout the United States are embracing the benefits of becoming a recognized Firewise USA site.

This slide show is an overview of the Marin County Firewise Program

Link to maps and descriptions of Marin Firewise Sites

A practice is an activity that is repeatedly or regularly performed in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency. Our goal is for all Marin residents to be prepared to immediately evacuate if ordered by public safety agencies. This means residents should have an evacuation plan, understand our system of alerts and warnings, have a go bag, know the evacuation route options, know how to properly secure their home prior to departure, and be able to evacuate quickly.

Evacuation practices are not designed to test traffic flow because it is impossible to duplicate the traffic volume of a real event. We all know the roads will be crowded. Instead it is meant to encourage residents to review their evacuation plan and ensure that things are in place to facilitate a quick departure. Practice makes perfect.

Organizing a basic evacuation practice does not need to be difficult. Below are several scaled approaches to holding an evacuation practice. Every Firewire site should hold an annual evacuation practice.

Universal Firewise Actions

1. Develop and maintain a comprehensive contact list of residents
2. Hold regular meetings – we recommend at least quarterly
3. Promote Wildfire Education – utilize Fire Safe Marin resources
4. Encourage participation in bi-annual chipper day events
5. Hold an annual neighborhood walk to reassess hazards and note areas still needing improvement
6. Hold an annual evacuation drill
7. Work with your local fire department to report serious hazards

Neighbors helping neighbors–this is what Firewise USA® is all about. Residents join together as a Firewise site and take actions to prepare themselves, their homes and their properties against the threat of wildfire. They look out for one another and provide those in need of assistance with help in emergency preparation.

There are currently 82 Firewise sites here in Marin, including more than 50,000 homes–the largest countywide participation in the country! Fire Safe Marin provides these residents with resources and support to organize and learn about personal preparedness, alerts and warning, local evacuation plans, and strategies to make their community more fire-resistant.