The Power of Neighborhood-level Action
Across Marin County, 86 Firewise neighborhoods are proving that when communities come together, real wildfire resilience takes shape. This year alone, Marin’s Firewise leaders and residents have contributed an impressive 366,897 hours of volunteer time, removed approximately 107,562 cubic yards of hazardous vegetation, and organized 75 evacuation drills to help neighbors practice getting out safely.
These efforts aren’t just numbers on a page, they represent thousands of conversations, shared work days, neighbor-to-neighbor support, and a growing cultural shift toward living with wildfire.
A Program Built on Community Strength
Firewise USA provides local neighborhoods with a structured path to reduce wildfire risk, and Marin County has become one of the strongest Firewise communities in the nation. With support from Fire Safe Marin, our county’s Firewise groups have reached over 60,000 Marin residents with practical, science-based wildfire preparedness tools. The dedicated guidance of our staff member Stuart Tanenberg in particular has helped connect, mentor, and empower neighborhood leaders. The collective impact of those leaders has helped protect not just individual homes but entire communities, and by extension, the fire professionals who work to keep Marin safe.
A Model for Living with Wildfire
The success of Marin’s Firewise neighborhoods highlights what’s possible when residents take wildfire preparedness into their own hands with support from local agency partners. Every hour volunteered, every plant pruned, every conversation sparked, moves us toward a more wildfire-adapted Marin.
As we continue to face a changing climate and increasing wildfire threats, these neighborhoods offer a hopeful reminder: preparedness grows fastest when it grows from the community outward.
