It was a warm September day and I remember being in Stinson Beach the day of the Oakland Hills fire in the Bay Area. More black smoke kept drifting over Mt. Tam towards the beach and I knew something very large and bad was happening. It never occurred to me that it was clear across the bay and as wide spread as it was.

So do yourselves and your local firefighters a favor and be prepared. Whether you live in an urban environment like the Oakland Hills or southern California or in a more rural area like Mt. Vision in West Marin County or the Tahoe area, the preparation is the same to help protect your home.

- Cut your grass short, less than 3”. The county is actively cutting the grass by the side of the roads in West Marin now.

- Clean your gutters and roof. Make sure they are free of pine needles and tree branches.

- Remove brush piles. Cut down dead trees and haul away dead vegetation.

- Advertise your location with 3-4” high reflective house numbers that are easily seen day or night so your home can be found. Many towns require that now upon resale.

Get ready. Be prepared. And to learn more, go to www.readysetgomarin.org.

Posted by:  Judy LeMarr