Around 2:30 am on November 2nd, firefighters quickly responded to a small fire near the San Rafael Elks Lodge west of Robert Dollar Drive. A battalion chief, five engines and a paramedic ambulance responded. The fire was contained within 20 minutes.
Crews remained on scene for several hours ensuring the fire was completely extinguished and that no flare ups occurred. Ultimately, the fire burned a quarter acre of land and no structures were threatened. There were no injuries.
The San Rafael Fire Department’s efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in this area positively impacted our ability to stop this fire. Our work included creating defensible space around nearby structures, removing invasive broom plants, and goat grazing. These efforts removed substantial amounts of combustible vegetation from the hillside which would have provided addition fuels for the fire to spread.
This is a reminder of the importance of reducing wildfire risk in San Rafael. Proactively reducing the amount of combustible plant life can slow the spread of wildfire and keep our community safe.