Hi Neighbors,
We have several items to cover in this newsletter. I apologize that it is not in the beautiful format of previous newsletters since our Chair, Julia, is on a trip in Europe and she is the one with all that talent. However, this information is timely and shouldn’t be delayed, so let’s press onward!
BANA Annual BBQ Party
A reminder that the BANA Annual BBQ Party is going to be held on Sunday, August 20th at 4 pm – 7 pm at the Loch Lomond Yacht Club. In addition to good food and good neighbors, we will also have a speaker, Marin County Fire Department’s (MCFD) Captain Jordan Reeser. Learn about the activities being conducted to improve fire safety, especially during wildfires, in our area. To register, go to the Signup Page on the BANA website.
Chipper Days
As covered in a recent Firewise email, space is still available for the weeks of July 17, September 4, October 9 and November 13. To reserve a pick-up, sign up with Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority at https://reserve.chipperday.com/marin .
Zone 0 Is Now the Law
Defensible space Zone 0 (Zero) requirements became California law on January 1, 2023, and it has important implications for all of us. It requires a vegetation-free perimeter from 0-5 feet from the walls of our homes and businesses. Fire science experts consider Zone 0 the most critical of the four defensible space zones.
The most vulnerable areas of our homes are within five feet because flying embers are the reason most homes are lost to wildfire. Zone 0 requires combustible materials such as vegetation and mulch to be replaced by non-flammable materials like decomposed granite, gravel or pavers. It also recommends limiting clutter on decks, including planters and patio furniture.
The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is holding hearing and working on the rules/regulations that will support the legislation. They are weighing how strict they should be. The rules are expected to be finalized in 2024. Passed into law in 2020, Assembly Bill 3074 requires the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to develop the regulation for a new ember-resistant zone (Zone 0) within 0 to 5 feet of the home by January 1, 2023 (clearly, a date that was not met).
The new regulations will apply to state responsibility areas (unincorporated areas in California) or mapped areas identified as high fire risk in local responsibility areas and certain towns. New construction homes will have to meet these new standards. Application to existing residences is not yet clear.
Fire Department Neighborhood Walk-Throughs
Marin County Fire Department is planning another neighborhood walk-through as part of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority’s Defensible Space & Home Hardening Evaluation in early to mid-August. SRFD plans to coordinate any remaining walk-throughs in the incorporated portions of Bayside Acres with them. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more about the date. We can expect these inspections to focus on the new Zone 0 regulations in the making (see above).
The MCFD team recently followed up on the eucalyptus removals at the large bend on lower Bayview Drive and removed the re-sprouting stems (see photo below). Our thanks to the MCFD for staying on top of this fire hazard mitigation work.
PG&E Grant Update
Bayside Acres applied but was not granted monies from PG&E to remove the Eucalyptus trees on Main Drive. Three of the seven grant submissions in Marin County were accepted. FIRESafe’s Executive Coordinator and Board Director, Rich Shortall, said the applications were all good, but PG&E chose to focus on the areas where their high energy wires are located. However, the SRFD contracted an arborist in June to perform a risk assessment for the Main Drive eucalyptus grove and is developing an action plan based on the results of that study. We willl inform you once the action plan is completed.
Bayview Drive Fire Road
SRFD and MCFD have been working on the Bayview fire road and other fire roads throughout the City and County to address flashy fuels and the heavy broom that continues to encroach upon the fire road. The plan is to mulch the remaining broom later this summer or early fall. Both SRFD and MCFD have been coordinating with State Parks to address sections of the Bayview fire road through the park and on adjoining property. We will keep you informed as we learn more. The new signposts within the China Camp portion of Bayview fire road are the result of a new signage project managed by Friends of China Camp (FOCC).