The Board of Supervisors adopted an updated wildfire protection plan this month that emphasizes the importance of individual homes in preventing disaster. The plan contains dozens of maps detailing individual properties—showing wood roofs and unpaved roads, fire history, who is up for this year’s defensible space evaluations, and more. Combined with vegetation maps collected by public land managers, the data can be used to precisely model flame lengths and fire behavior in any weather scenario, and each resident can see their own fire risk. It’s a powerful tool. “This is going to help to inform all of these decisions we make about strategy moving forward—about public education, outreach, grants, fuels work, et cetera,” said Jason Weber, Marin County Fire chief. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority is creating its $20 million work plan for next year based on the plan’s recommendations. Programs include grants for low-income residents to clear defensible space and the development of evacuation routes. But Mark Brown, the executive director, stressed that safety starts with individuals. “It just can’t be the public agencies that do the work. We need our residents to take responsibility because the strength of our communities is the sum of its parts,” he said. Defensible space inspectors will visit one-third of homes every year. Projects will focus on areas that are deemed higher risk. Most of West Marin falls into category 2, meaning fire risk is moderate because the density of structures is low, but pockets of high fire-threat areas are scattered throughout the region. To view the map set, visit firesafemarin.org/cwpp.