FIRESafe MARIN News

Wednesday, October 10, 12:00-1:00 pm

Wildfires and insurance: learn how to be financially prepared

This is Fire Prevention Week and the 2018 theme is: Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware. Fire can happen anywhere. In conjunction with the campaign, the Firewise USA® program is launching new resources that are being added to our website. Coinciding with the theme, each of the three resources have a Look (Video), Listen (Webinar) and Learn (Online Learning Module) component.  We encourage you to share the video, promote the Online Learning Module educational tool, and participate in the associated webinar.

Your Home and Wildfire

Choices that can make a difference video (approx.. 4-minutes) was launched today, Monday, October 10 and can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfbEcMeYFFA

CHP Helicopter Video - click on video embedded in story, below.

A wildfire burning near Samuel P Taylor State Park in West Marin forced evacuations of hundreds of residents of Lagunitas, with evacuation warnings for residents of Lagunitas, Forest Knolls, and San Geronimo.  The "Irving Fire" (#IrvingFire) was reported to be 100 acres, burning near the Irving Creek drainage near the Mt Barnabe/Dickson Fire Lookout.  Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place (learn more about evacuation terminolgy and preparedness here).

Current Wildfire information is available form Marin County Fire Department via social media (Twitter, Facebook).  All San Geronimo Valley residents should ensure they are registered for Alert Marin (first), Nixle (second), and monitor the situation on social media, local radio, and TV throughout the day.  Please read FIRESafe MARIN's Evacuation Guide and take steps to prepare your home for wildfire TODAY!

Continue reading for additional information and resources.

Alert Marin is NOT NIXLE!  Do not assume that you are registered for Alert Marin just because you receive "Nixle" notices from your local police department or school district!

Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for Marin's ONLY Emergency Alert Program.  Alert Marin enables us to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as wildfires, severe weather, flooding, earthquakes, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.  

In Marin, the “Alert Marin” notification system is used by all fire and law enforcement agencies to make emergency and evacuation notifications.  You must register your phone(s) and address at www.alertmarin.org.You will receive time-sensitive messages for any locations you specify, such as your home, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more. You pick where, you pick how.

Fire in Marin Flyer

Free 2-hour seminar for Marin residents

Marin resident and FIRESafe MARIN volunteer Katherine Randolph provides an excellent introductory seminar on wildfire safety - "Fire in Marin" - free to Marin residents.  FIRESafe MARIN endorses this curriculum as a basic introduction to wildfire history and safety concepts for homeowners.  Your local Fire Department will be in attendance.

Come learn why our Marin communities are at great risk for a catastrophic fire and what you can do about it. Learn how to create and implement attractive landscaping that complies with your Fire Department’s Defensible Space regulations, how to make your home more fire resistant and what you need to know to be ready to evacuate if needed.

Wildfire Horse Evacuation

Preparing horses or other large animals for a wildfire evacuation requires an extra level of planning, preparedness, and practice. Building an evacuation kit (PDF, 8 MB) for each horse, and having a plan for them that’s been practiced, increases the potential your horse(s) will be able to leave when you do. If the wildfire’s proximity does not permit the time needed to load horses, it’s best to turn them loose and not leave them confined in a barn or pasture. Close the doors and gates so they can’t re-enter the area. 

Learn more at the FIRESafe MARIN Large Animal Evacuation page.

FIRESafe MARIN recently began compliling a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and posting to our website, to help Marin residents find quick answers to their questions and to assist our volunteers and staff to provide consistent, accurate information.

Please take a look at http://firesafemarin.org/faq and feel free to email us questions you think should be listed at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wednesday, October 10, 12:00-1:00 pm (Pacific)

Plan to watch this important webinar!

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fires can happen anywhere.” More and more, it’s true that damaging wildfires can happen just about anywhere. Take this opportunity to listen and learn to insurance experts about what you can do today to be prepared should the worst happen. Presenters will cover the importance of doing an “insurance check-up” with your agent, how to understand what your insurance covers – and what it might not – and how to make a home inventory of your possessions. Take this opportunity to directly ask insurance experts your questions about wildfire and home insurance. It might be the most helpful 60 minutes you spend this year.

FIRESafe MARIN will hold a regular meeting Friday, September 14 at 9am, 100 Marin Valley Drive, Novato, CA 94949 (Directions).

FIRESafe MARIN meetings are open to the public and are typically held the second Friday of each month.  Meetings start at 9:00 AM and usually last about 2 hours.  Board members and agency representatives will have an opportunity to provide updates at the "once around the table."  Members of the public may have opportunities to address the Board of Directors, time depending.  

Firefighting Aircraft Can't Fly When Your Drone is in the Air

More than 120 wildfires are burning across 1.6 million acres in the United States. Firefighters aren’t just struggling to battle these blazes, they’re also facing the dangers posed by unauthorized drone flights over or near the fires. Firefighters across the nation have repeatedly been forced to cease helicopter and airplane operations because the presence of drones prevented them from flying safely. In these circumstances, the minutes or hours of flight delay could mean lost lives and destroyed property.