The smoke drifting over Sausalito from the wildfires to the north of us are an unpleasant reminder that fire season has begun. With hundreds of acres of undeveloped land in the Marin Headlands between Sausalito and the ocean, our community faces a significant risk from a rapidly spreading wildland fire.

Our local fire department, Southern Marin Fire, is working hard to reduce the threat of wildfire to Sausalito residents. Below are some of the initiatives currently underway.

• Removal of excess vegetation from evacuation routes. District crews have removed 226 tons of vegetation from 144 streets in Southern Marin.
• Chipper days. During the past year, a district chipper crew made four scheduled visits to Sausalito neighborhoods to help residents dispose of excess vegetation around their homes.
• Community education. Through mailers and public outreach like personal home assessments, the district has been encouraging residents to prepare for wildfire by hardening their homes and creating defensible space.

Should a wildfire threaten Sausalito, residents may need to evacuate their homes at short notice. Southern Marin Fire encourages residents to prepare for an evacuation by taking the following steps:

• Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert Marin and Nixle. Local law enforcement will be responsible for announcing and directing an evacuation.
• Assemble a "Go Kit" with essential supplies for you and your family.
• Identify two routes from your home should an evacuation become necessary. The most likely evacuation route for Sausalito residents will be downhill towards the water.
• Talk with your neighbors to ensure everybody is prepared.

Leave immediately if you receive an evacuation notification or alert to avoid being caught in fire, smoke, or road congestion. Don't wait to be ordered by authorities to leave if you are unsure, feel threatened, or lose power or communications. Law enforcement will direct the evacuation, but their resources may be limited. Evacuating early (before evacuation is ordered) helps keep roads clear of congestion and lets fire apparatus move more freely to do their job. 

If water evacuations prove necessary, they will be supported via the Sausalito ferry landing by ferries from the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), a California Office of Emergency Services resource tasked with coordinating the water transit response to regional emergencies. If needed, WETA will also organize the assistance of local vessels. 

For more information on preparing for an evacuation, FIRESafe Marin maintains a comprehensive guide to Wildfire Evacuation Preparedness. Information is also available on the website about hardening your home and creating defensible space.

Additional information is available from this year's edition of the Citizen's Guide to Disaster Preparedness prepared by the City's Community Safety and Disaster Preparedness Committee. Along with sections on earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides, the guide includes a 10-page section on wildfire. To receive a hard copy, please email Joe Paulino at joe@4joe.com. 

Any questions about wildfire preparedness may be directed to Deputy Chief of Operations Tom Welch of the Southern Marin Fire Protection District at twelch@smfd.org or (415) 388-8182. Tom can also arrange neighborhood meetings to discuss topics like preparedness and evacuation.

To arrange for a free home assessment or a visit to you and your neighbors from a chipper crew, please contact Vegetation Management Specialist Jesse Figoni at (415) 730-9048 or jfigoni@smfd.org.

WATCH A PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON REDUCING WILDFIRE RISKS