Friday, March 8, 2019 from 9am-11am, Fire Safe Marin will host a community workshop to help Marin neighborhoods organize to achieve Firewise USA® recognition. Learn about the benefits and challenges of the Firewise USA® program and how it might fit for your for your neighborhood, while preparing a plan to help your community survive a wildfire. We'll have representatives on-hand from every Marin fire department, land management agencies like MMWD and Open Space, PG&E, and others to help you understand Marin's wildfire risk and develop a neighborhood-scale plan to address the risk. The NFPA's Firewise USA® program is a process that empowers neighbors to work together in reducing their wildfire risk. Join the growing network of more than 1,500 recognized Firewise USA® sites/communities (including 30 neighborhoods in Marin, more than any other county in California!) taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire.

You're invited to join us for Marin's first FREE "Wildfire Safety and Vegetation Management Workshop For Contractors" to help Marin's many Green Industry professionals, including - TREE SERVICES, ARBORISTS, AND LANDSCAPERS - better understand Marin's wildfire risk, defensible space laws, and best practices for creating a wildfire resistant landscape.

As a green industry professional, you work on the front-line in the effort to reduce the risk of wildfire in Marin!

• Is your business prepared to respond to the increased demand for service following several years of devastating wildfires in California?
• Are you interested in access to grants and large state and federally funded vegetation removal projects in Marin?
• Are you up to date on DEFENSIBLE SPACE requirements?
• Are you interested in better serving Marin customers?

This workshop is intended primarily for decision-makers, business owners, supervisors, and leaders in green industry companies that do business in Marin County, CA.

Please join us May 4, 2019 at 10AM at Embassy Suites in San Rafael for a FREE community presentation and panel discussion on wildfire preparedness, with an introduction to important new efforts that will help make Marin more wildfire resilient.  We'll have tables and booths representing a variety of stakeholders, contractors, and representatives of agncies and industries who play a role in Marin's wildfire readiness.

What: Opening with a special guest presentation from a Camp Fire evacuation survivor, the Marin Wildfire Forum will look at prevention and preparedness through a countywide lens. Representatives from local government, fire agencies, land managers, emergency services, law enforcement, community leaders and wildfire experts will update residents on progress to date, work to come, and future needs. Residents will learn what they can do to protect their homes and what we can do together to make Marin as wildfire safe and emergency ready as possible.

Why: Wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness are countywide priorities. Great work is being done in communities across Marin, but there is much more to do. Fire knows no boundaries. We must work together as one community to make all of Marin as wildfire safe and emergency ready as possible.

When: Saturday, May 4 from 10 AM to noon.

Where: Embassy Suites, San Rafael

Contact: Jennifer Gauna, 415.473.6159 or jgauna@marincounty.org

Registration: optional but encouraged 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

FIRESTORM: WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE

A Public Forum

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 PM
San Rafael Community Center, 618 B St., San Rafael

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Christie Neill
Marin County Fire Dept, Battalion Chief

Leroy Westerling
Professor, Management of Complex Systems, UC Merced

Lisa Santora
Deputy Director, Marin Co. Dept of Public Health

Joel Laucher
Senior Advisor, California Dept of Insurance

Kate Sears
Marin County Supervisor

Todd Lando
Fire Safe Marin

Moderated by

Peter B. Collins
veteran radio and television host

Climate change continues to intensify the conditions contributing to the most destructive fires in California’s history.

Find out what’s happening, what’s being done, and what you can do.

RSVP ONLINE

This is a free public event.   Childcare and Spanish translation provided on prior request

SPONSORED BY

Organizing for Action Marin, in partnership with:

Fire Safe Marin, Drawdown Marin, Marin Conservation League, Cool Effects, Marin Interfaith Climate Action, Sustainable San Rafael, Sustainable Marin, Resilient Neighborhoods

Attention Building Industry Professionals! Join Fire Safe Marin for a FREE 4-hour seminar on wildfire home-hardening.

• 1PM Doors Open - Meet Manufacturers and Installers
• 2PM-4PM Seminar for Building Professionals
• 4PM-5PM Manufacturer Showcase and Live Burn Demo

Recognizing that home-hardening through improved architectural design, ember and ignition resistant material selection, and retrofitting existing buildings are the most important factors in improving home survival during wildfires, Fire Safe Marin has developed a seminar and training curriculum to introduce building professionals to these concepts.

Taught by experts in the field of building science, home hardening, and wildfire, this seminar is intended for building industry professionals to:

• Train the contractor, handyman, architect, and owner/builder to recognize structural vulnerabilities to wildfires and embers;
• Introduce ignition and ember resistant designs and materials;
• Provide home-hardening and retrofitting resources;
• Encourage building modifications to reduce the likelihood of structural ignitions during wildfires;
• Develop a list of contractors to provide Marin homeowners with access to knowledgeable professionals

Weather permitting, a live fire demonstration will be conducted at 5PM to demonstrate the differences between ordinary and fire-resistant construction. 

WHAT DOES “Home HARDENING” MEAN?

"Hoime Hardening" describes a building or structure that is designed, built, or retrofitted to resist ignition from wildfires and embers. While no home is "fireproof," simple and often inexpensive materials, designs, and techniques can address the most vulnerable components of a house to increase resistance to heat, flames, and embers from wildfires.

SPEAKERS

Stephen L. Quarles, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist for Wildfire and Durability (retired)
Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

Todd Lando
Executive Coordinator, Fire Safe Marin
Wildfire Hazard Mitigation and Vegetation management Consultant

Larry Pasero
Fire Inspector, Kentfield Fire Protection District

Program SponsorS

Fire Safe Marin has partnered with CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, to bring building professionals the most up-to-date knowledge on home-hardening for wildfire. CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer, offers automobile, homeowners and other personal lines of insurance to AAA Members through AAA clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

Manufacturer and Installer Showcase

The following manufacturers will be on-hand to discuss their innovative WUI approved building products:

Schedule of Events

• Doors open at 1PM to meet manufacturers (early showcase)
• Seminar for Building Professionals 2-4 PM
• Showcase for professionals 4-5 PM
• LIVE BURN 5PM, all welcome..
• Public showcase, meet manufacturers 5-6 PM
• Seminar for Homeowners 6-7:30 PM