Agency official outlines prescribed pile burns in San Rafael funded by Measure C

An agency official said at a wildfire mitigation site in San Rafael that crews are conducting on-site pile burns funded by Measure C to reduce wildfire fuels and protect nearby neighborhoods.

The official said, "I'm here at one of our wildfire mitigation projects in San Rafael supported by your Measure C tax dollars." They explained that when fire is excluded from natural areas "extra vegetation builds up that can make wildfires burn hotter and spread faster," and said crews "cut and arrange that vegetation into burn piles." "Burning the piles on-site safely removes excess fuels and helps protect nearby communities," the official said.

The official added that on-site burning also reduces waste hauled to the landfill, saying it saves "more than 70 truck trips." No dollar amount or specific Measure C allocation was provided in the statement.

Residents were urged to sign up for emergency notifications and to opt in for prescribed-fire alerts so they can be notified when burns are scheduled near their neighborhoods; the transcript names a service as "Alert Moran." The official did not provide a schedule or exact locations for upcoming burns in this brief statement.

The presentation framed the burns as a preventive measure aimed at lowering wildfire risk for communities adjacent to open space. Officials did not announce any additional permits, vote, or public hearing tied to the activity in the remarks provided.