With support from California Assemblymember Marc Levine, the Southern Marin Fire Protection District, in partnership with the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, was notified of a successful direct benefit budget allocation for FY 2022/2023. The 1 million-dollar project focuses on the critical need for evacuation route clearing on California State Route 1 from Northern Ave. to Panoramic Highway (Mill Valley, CA).
Objectives for the funding include:
- Reduce fuel load, including invasive species such as French Broom and other fire hazardous plantings.
- Maintain native plantings by limbing up trees and reducing fuel laddering potential.
- Selective removal of Eucalyptus identified as a threat to the roadway evacuation efforts or otherwise hazardous.
- Manage the understory of dense vegetation to create biodiversity for native plants and maintain critical habitats to promote an overall healthier forest.
The project will reduce risks (through vegetation management processes) and facilitate evacuation from a historically fire-prone and densely populated area of Marin County, CA. In addition, the grant enhances other funds allocated through Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority-Measure C (passed March 2020) and Southern Marin Fire Protection District-Measure U (passed November 2018) to facilitate current and anticipated fuel management projects in this specific area.
About Southern Marin Fire District
The Fire District now serves the communities of Tamalpais Valley, Almonte, Homestead Valley, Alto, Strawberry, approximately 1/4 of the town of Tiburon, the City of Sausalito, Fort Baker and the Marin Headlands. The District covers over 20.5 square miles, a population of approximately 26,175 and over 14,100 homes and commercial properties. On June 26, 2012 the City of Sausalito Fire Department was annexed into the fire District. In October of 2010 the District signed a contract with the National Park Service to provide services to the Marin Headlands and Fort Baker areas of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.