Marin Voice: Wildfire authority focused on advancing environmental protection

On behalf of Marin County residents, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority continues to carry out numerous wildfire risk reduction projects throughout the county.

The agency’s ongoing work plan includes key initiatives that play an important role in fulfilling the organization’s mission, which is to systematically transition Marin into a fire-adapted community.

Guided by science and the latest research surrounding wildfire, many of the authority’s efforts reflect a “house out” strategy. This work involves preparing our community to safely evacuate in the event of a wildfire, as well as the “hardening” of homes and the creation of defensible space on properties.

Another key aspect of MWPA’s scope involves significant vegetation management projects within our most fire prone areas. All vegetation management projects are proactively designed to slow, or even stop, the spread of a wildfire. In action, these initiatives combine the labor-intensive work of fire mitigation professionals with state of the art scientific fire risk models. They prioritize shaded fuel breaks and fuel reduction zones along the wildland-urban interface boundary.

Two of these significant vegetation management projects include the greater Ross Valley shaded fuel break and the San Rafael-San Anselmo fuel-reduction zone. These areas represent some of Marin’s greatest risks due to the buildup of fuel loads and direct adjacency to communities. They also require an intensive, hands-on approach to remove dense, non-native vegetation.

Like much of California, Marin is at high risk from increased wildfire, in large part driven by climate change. Our deepening global environmental crisis also includes biodiversity loss and increased drought, flooding and pollution.

From its inception, the authority incorporated environmental protection as part of its core mission. To reflect the strong environmental principles of our county, all vegetation-management practices are conducted in an ecologically sound manner – not only to reduce the risk of wildfire, but also increase the health of the environment by removal of invasives and with care for native plants and wildlife and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

To put words into action, the MWPA and its environmental partners established the ecologically sound practices partnership. The ESP partnership’s recommended practices are intended to produce positive results in meeting multiple threats at the same time. At regular monthly meetings, this coalition of leading wildfire and environmental experts advises Marin’s fire professionals, defines best practices to guide the implementation of the wildfire prevention plans and offers expertise and recommendations on specific projects. The authority supplements this guidance with the aid of wildlife biologists, botanists and other experts hired to conduct analysis and surveys in the field.

While the MWPA prides itself in moving fast to defend against wildfire, consultation with environmental specialists is critical to the process. The type and scale of a fuel break or fuel reduction area differs depending upon the vegetation communities and the conditions present. By drawing on ESP best practices and the work of in-house consultants, each project’s design features are analyzed before implementation in the field. In select cases, predominantly among non-native eucalyptus trees, a limited amount of herbicide is necessary to prevent regrowth. This is a useful tool when properly applied, typically by painting the stumps of cut trees, for the management of invasive species that pose a hazard through flammability and to native biodiversity.

To be clear, the use of an herbicide is rare, but it is a necessary tool in the toolbox toward fire prevention and the preservation of natural habitat. Leading environmental partners agree with this targeted approach. As it relates to the San Rafael-San Anselmo fuel-reduction zone project, the Marin Audubon Society says, “Applied responsibly, according to (integrated pest management) principles, the use of herbicides will ensure our native ecosystems persist.”

Meanwhile, the Fire and Environment Resilience Network, states: “The limited use of herbicide to prevent resprouting is also, in our view, the most appropriate method for removing the eucalyptus, when compared to the alternatives.”

The ESP partnership is a successful coalition that is committed both to wildfire prevention, environmental protection and carbon-reducing strategies. The reason for its existence is to find the right balance in reducing fire risk in Marin while maintaining the county’s environmental principles.

If you would like to participate in the work of the ESP partnership, we invite you to join in their regular meetings. Learn more at espmarin.org/events.

Anne Crealock is planning and program manager for the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority. Belle Cole is chair of the ecologically sound practices partnership.