Mill Valley fire Chief Tom Welch acknowledges that tougher fire prevention regulations for vegetation might face some opposition, but he vows to persist after his experience as a North Bay fire victim.
In the aftermath of the devastation in Sonoma and Napa, Mill Valley fire officials say it’s time to refocus their energy on vegetation management.
“And that means doing better education,” said Mill Valley fire Battalion Chief Michael St. John. “That means encouraging residents to be more aware about clearance, and defensible space.” “We really have the public’s attention to make changes,” said Welch, who lost his Coffey Park home to the Tubbs fire that ripped through Santa Rosa in October. “Some of this will be painful, and the community won’t like it. But we want to be prepared.”