Experts in fire safety and response spoke about how to prepare for the inevitable large blaze in West Marin to an audience of about 100 at the Dance Palace on Sunday. The most important steps residents should take to stay safe and protect their homes are to clear vegetation from around structures, sign up for county emergency alerts and develop an escape plan. In Marin, homeowners are required to have 100 feet of defensible space. That means clearing lower limbs off of trees, removing detritus, keeping grass lower than four inches and thinning the spaces between trees. The 30 feet closest to structures should be clear of highly flammable plants such as juniper, rosemary, pampas grass and bamboo, or any trees that in fires exude volatile oils, like pines. The insides of hedges and trees should be cleared of dead material, and tree branches should be at least 10 feet away from other trees. Shrubs and flammable objects shouldn’t be right next to each other. Still, “nice landscaping and fire resistance are not mutually exclusive,” said Ray Moritz, an arborist and forester who has studied fires since the 70s. He recounted that in the Mount Vision Fire, one home’s well irrigated redwood hedge acted as a fire barrier. Homeowners should also update attic vents so they do not let in embers, and clear dead leaves off of decks. There are other, less obvious hazards, too. In the recent fires in Napa and Sonoma Counties, Mr. Moritz said some wooden fences acted as wicks, feeding flames from peripheral parts of a property to the house. Even with fire-savvy homeowners, Marin is not exempt from irrepressible fires. Large fires have been recorded all over the county as long as westerners have kept track, and these days there is much more vegetation. Signing up for AlertMarin, the county’s emergency alert system, will allow you to get a jumpstart on evacuations, and also lets the county know where you live so they can check on you. It doesn’t hurt to get to know your neighbors, either, or to keep an eye out for the elderly and those with mobility issues. When you do have to evacuate, it’s best to have a go bag already prepared, a designated meeting place and knowledge of the escape routes in your area. And remember to dress appropriately. In the Oakland Hills firestorm in 1991, residents who fled in flip-flops and skimpy clothing suffered burns from the radiant heat. “You want to wear heavy wool or cotton clothing and good shoes if you have to evacuate,” Mr. Moritz said. And if your house does burn, you’ll want to be prepared to rebuild by making sure your fire insurance covers the full replacement of your structure. According to Christie Neill, a county battalion chief, 74 percent of Napa and Sonoma residents didn’t have enough coverage to cover the cost of a complete rebuild. For more on fire prevention, visit firesafemarin.org. To sign up for emergency alerts, visit alertmarin.org.