Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) will begin National Wildfire Awareness Month with Marin’s Wildfire Preparedness Public Forum on Saturday, May 2. The Forum will be held at Embassy Suites, 101 McInnis Parkway in San Rafael, from 9:30AM to 12PM. The event will bring residents, local fire agencies, and community partners together for a countywide conversation about wildfire risk, preparedness, and action.
The Forum will feature the public introduction of Marin’s new Community Wildfire Protection Plan, promote a “Day of Action,” and launch a month of coordinated outreach focused on practical wildfire safety information for all Marin residents.
The Wildfire Preparedness Public Forum and Community Wildfire Protection Plan
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Marin’s Wildfire Preparedness Public Forum
WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 2026. 9:30AM to Noon.
WHERE: Embassy Suites, 101 McInnis Pkwy, San Rafael, CA 94903
A central focus of the event will be the public introduction of Marin’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The CWPP has been developed to identify where wildfire risk is greatest, how wildfire will behave across the diverse landscapes of Marin, and propose long-term resilience strategies. The Plan will serve as an ever evolving tool for fire agencies to determine where prevention measures and evacuation planning matter most.
The forum will give residents an opportunity to understand the CWPP, hear from experts, ask questions, and get up to date with local wildfire resilience efforts already underway across Marin. The Forum will begin with presentations on Marin’s wildfire preparedness efforts and the unveiling of the CWPP. Following the presentations, there will be a panel discussion and Q&A session with wildfire industry experts, giving residents the chance to hear directly from key agency representatives. Following the formal program, attendees will be able to explore information stations covering vegetation management, evacuation planning, detection and alerting, residential risk reduction, defensible space, fire-smart landscaping, and the Chipper Days Program.
The Day of Action
May 2 is also the National Fire Protection Agency’s National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. Referred to as a Day of Action, this nationwide campaign is intended to empower people to be proactive with their wildfire safety efforts. For Marin, the focus will be on encouraging residents to sign up for Chipper Days, an annual offering from MWPA in which residents can dispose of vegetation debris. Chipper Days are a simple, practical step that helps reduce wildfire risk around the home by eliminating potential fire fuels. Promoting Chipper Day signups creates a direct connection between awareness and action by giving residents a clear way to prepare for fire season.
To help promote that effort, Marin will tap into its strong Firewise network, which includes over 60,000 residents across 90 Firewise communities in the county. Firewise community networks continue to play an important role in sharing preparedness information, strengthening local engagement, and encouraging residents to take meaningful steps to reduce wildfire risk at a neighborhood level.
Looking for more information?
- Updates and details on Marin’s CWPP, the Wildfire Preparedness Public Forum, and the Day of Action.
- Additional wildfire safety resources.
- Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
A Month-Long Effort
The Forum and the Day of Action will mark the beginning of a month-long, multi-agency coordinated public outreach campaign in support of National Wildfire Awareness Month. In collaboration with local fire departments and related agencies, this campaign will focus on simple tips and practical resources that are accessible to all residents, regardless of property ownership or economic status.
That approach reflects an important reality:
“Wildfire preparedness is not limited to homeowners or major property improvements,” said Abe Roman, San Rafael Fire Chief and President of the Fire Chief’s Association. “Residents who rent, live in multi-unit housing, or have limited means to make physical changes can still take meaningful steps to be better prepared.”
Clear information about alerts, evacuation readiness, household preparedness, neighborhood coordination, and everyday risk reduction actions can help all residents play a role in community safety. By coordinating messaging across agencies and platforms, Marin’s wildfire awareness campaign will aim to make that information easier to understand, easier to access, and more relevant to the widest possible audience.
When the wildfire awareness efforts begin on May 2, the message is clear for Marin’s residents: understand the risk, learn what is being done, and take a step to prepare.
Funding for Fire Safe Marin’s participation in the CWPP project was provided by a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program, through the California Fire Safe Council.
Funding for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Update Project comes from Measure C funds through Marin Wildfire.
