The grass is green and the dirt is still wet. As hard as it is to believe, Fire Season is coming up quick. It’s that time again to start clearing your Defensible Space around your home. Get ahead and take on vegetation while it is still manageable.

1. Creating defensible space is essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It’s the buffer created between a building and the vegetation on the property, including grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area that surrounds it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it protects your home from catching fire, either from direct flame contact or radiant heat. Defensible space is also important for the protection of the firefighters defending your home.
2. Review the Low Cost Retrofit List, the latest suggestions from Cal Fire for suggestions on ways to harden your home, create defensible space, and view additional links for material lists and requirements.
3. Visit Southern Marin Fire District’s Certified Fire-Smart Plant Nurseries that agreed to our program's conditions and have a list of fire-smart vegetation characteristics and a copy of our defensible space guidelines. In doing so, they have received a framed “Fire Smart Landscaping Professional” certificate signed by Chief Tubbs and Fire Marshal Hilliard. The Plant Nursery Certification Program will assist the fire prevention division by increasing the likelihood that residents will make fire-smart decisions when landscaping their properties.
4. Schedule Your Complimentary:

• Individual Chipper Request

• Defensible Space Inspection or Home Assessment

Check out these resources to:

• Plan and Prepare with Ready Marin

• FIRESafe Marin's Firesmart Yard Basics

• Southern Marin Fire District's Chipper Program

For more information on defensible space and wildfire preparedness, please visit Southern Marin Fire District’s Vegetation Management Program webpage.  

Southern Marin Fire District:

For future questions/information (non emergency) see SMFD web site: www.smfd.org

SMFD Non-Emergency Line Monday through Friday 9am – 5pm PST call: 415-388-8182 

For all emergencies call: 9-1-1

Resources For People Of All Abilities:

Downloadable Safety Flyers in Spanish

Home Safety Tips for people with disabilities (PDF)

Smoke Alarm Safety for people who are deaf or hard of hearing (PDF)

Home Safety Checklist for older adults (PDF)

How To Prevent Fires and Falls for older adults (PDF)

Fire Won't Wait. Plan Your Escape Coloring Sheet in English (PDF)

Fire Won't Wait. Plan Your Escape Coloring Sheet in Spanish (PDF)

Learn more preparedness resources.