Thank you to all the North Bay residents who were able to participate in our recent tele-townhall on the role of parks and open space in wildfire prevention. We were fortunate to have Bert Whitaker, Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks, and Max Korten, Director and General Manager of Marin County Parks, provide insights into the preventative measures our parks and open spaces are undertaking to keep us safe from wildfire, as well as updates on how we can safely enjoy our parks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you were unable to participate, a video recording of the town hall is available on Facebook or YouTube.
For the latest updates on what our parks are doing to keep our communities safe from wildfire and COVID-19 spread, visit your county’s park website:
- Sonoma County: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov
- Marin County: https://www.marincountyparks.org/
I also encourage you to support our local parks by purchasing an annual pass. It’s the easiest and most affordable way to enjoy local parks in Sonoma County and Marin County.
As we remain in the thick of fire season, we should always be prepared. To learn more about what you can do to prepare for and navigate a wildfire emergency, visit https://www.readyforwildfire.org/. Additionally, these resources can help you and your family prepare:
Sonoma County
- County of Sonoma emergency alerts https://socoemergency.org/home/prepare/get-ready/stay-informed/
- FireSAFE Sonoma https://www.firesafesonoma.org/
- Wildland-Urban Interface & Vegetation Management https://srcity.org/596/Wildland-Urban-Interface
Marin County
- Alert Marin Emergency Notification System http://www.alertmarin.org/
- FIRESafe Marin http://www.firesafemarin.org
- Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority https://www.marinwildfire.org/
The UC Cooperative Extension is also a partner and resource for wildfire prevention:
- UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Fire in California website with specific hubs on Fire Science & Ecology, Fire as a Tool, and Wildfire Preparedness & Restoration - https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/
- UC Marin Master Gardeners’ Fire-smart Landscaping resources for home owners – https://ucanr.edu/sites/MarinMG/Fire-smart_Landscaping/
- UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County’s Firewise Landscaping information also for home owners - http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Firewise_Landscaping/
My staff and I continue to work around the clock to make sure that residents across the North Bay are receiving the support and services you need. If I can be of assistance, please contact me by email at assemblymember.levine@assembly.ca.gov or by phone at (707) 576-2631 or (415) 479-4920.