Scary Brush Fire on Hillside Ave in Mill Valley

This evening the quiet was shattered by sirens then the persistent chuffing of helicopters overhead starting around 4 pm. I watched the action from my deck in Homestead. First the choppers would circle over the smoke plume, then drop down their water payload over the fire circle then descend to the Bay to fill back up for another drop. A reported brush fire had broken out on Hillside Ave near Boyle Park and downtown Mill Valley. The fire burned for two hours until SMFD got it under control. They have positioned their crews there overnight to assure it doesn't spring back into action if the wind changes or grows, which was the case in the infamous Oakland fires. Fortunately SMFD were able to get the blaze under control quickly, but we were lucky this time.

There was virtually no wind this afternoon. Under a Diablo or other high wind event this could have spread quickly into an out of control fire in a tightly clustered neighborhood in the Mill Valley WUI.

There are many practical steps we can take as individuals to harden our homes against wildfire. It is by working individually that we collectively make our neighborhoods safer and more resilient. Home Wildfire Defender advises homeowners on wildfire resiliency, we assess private properties, point out vulnerabilities and build action plans to reduce risk or support insurance negotiations or to prepare a property for sale.

The science is clear, while wildfire is unpredictable and frightening we can greatly improve our home's survivability by initiating proven home hardening measures, like ember resistant vents and gutter guards, by maintaining our gardens consciously and by accepting and preparing for inevitable wildfire. Call me for a discounted risk assessment. www.homewildfiredefender.net

Hillside Ave in MV on 7/27/26 at 5pm approximately