Marin County Parks

EXPLORE YOUR PARKS Your Guide to Marin County Parks & Programs SPRING 2018 Last October 8, multiple fires raced across the North Bay, driven by hurricane force winds. Like countless Bay Area residents, I woke at 3 a.m., smelling smoke, worried about the safety of my family and our hillside home. That night and over the next few days, 8,900 structures burned and 44 people lost their lives. The wildfires sweeping through Napa and Sonoma did not reach Marin. But conditions for a devastating fire exist here–69,000 Marin living units are located in wildland-urban in- terface areas. Marin County Parks continues working in close collaboration with local fire departments and communities, to ensure that we learn from the North Bay fires, and do all we can to keep communities safe. Parks' vegetation management efforts are focused on maintaining defensible space be- tween natural areas in open space preserves and neighborhoods. Measure A funding has more than doubled the fire fuel reduction and defensible space work our crews can com- plete each year. The 2018 work plan includes annual mowing, grazing, burning, or pulling of over 1,600 acres of flammable plant mate- rial, in addition to 21 new vegetation projects related to fire safety. I encourage every resident to get involved. Visit firesafemarin.org and learn about defen- sible space, hardening your home, and di- saster preparedness. Register for Alert Marin to get emergency notifications by phone. Join a Parks volunteer day, and clear invasive broom from Cascade Canyon on March 10, or Horse HiIl on March 3. Together we can raise awareness, reduce risk, and get ready for when a wildfire strikes. . DIRECTOR'S CORNER Max Korten Director & General Manager, Marin County Parks CARING FOR WHAT WE HAVE

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