What is a PWP?
PWPs do not identify or approve specific projects; rather, PWPs describe a framework for planning, reviewing, and permitting future activities (such as shaded fuel breaks) that would otherwise trigger individual permits under the California Coastal Act. Rather than pursuing a separate Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for each future project proposed, projects may instead be analyzed as part of an integrated and coordinated program that includes objectives identified by California Coastal Commission (CCC) staff, Tribal participants, and lead agencies. This ensures that each future project is consistent with the overall vision of the PWP and priorities identified by participants. This, in turn, creates a faster and more efficient process to approve wildfire risk reduction activities that protect and even enhance sensitive resources.
Note: PWPs for wildfire resilience describe activities that would require approval by the California Coastal Commission, such as creation of shaded fuel breaks. However, Marin Wildfire pursues a house-out, multi-pronged approach to wildfire resilience in Coastal Marin which includes public education, home evaluations, home hardening and defensible space around structures, evacuation planning and other activities. Want to learn more? CLICK HERE for more information about our 5 Goals and HERE for more information about our Defensible Space and Home Hardening Inspection Program.
Why is Vegetation Management Needed in Coastal Marin?
Much of Coastal Marin has a long history of frequent low intensity fire, both cultural burning and wildfire, that provided ecological benefits and reduced the buildup of vegetation on the landscape. In fact, coastal grasslands likely burned every 1-3 years and coastal redwoods likely burned every 10-30 years according to the Point Reyes National Seashore. These low intensity frequent fires were an important part of Marin's local ecology. Cultural burning was outlawed in the mid-1800s and wildfires have been largely eradicated from the landscape with modern fire suppression efforts. Additionally, with European settlement, highly flammable non-native invasive plants have become prevalent on the landscape, often crowding out native species. Without frequent low intensity fire, vegetation builds up on the landscape making fires more intense and more dangerous to people and ecosystems.
"The removal of natural fire from an ecosystem can lead to excess fuel buildup and changes in vegetation composition, which can increase the risk of uncharacteristically large high-severity fires."
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
This buildup of vegetation on the landscape, coupled with a changing climate, contributes to wildfire risk in Coastal Marin. In fact, CAL FIRE's recent update to hazard maps for the State Responsibility Areas shows a marked increase in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone Areas in Coastal Marin over previous hazard maps. Coastal Marin has a history of wildfire, including the 1995 Vision Fire, during which 44 homes were lost, serving as an example of the vulnerability of coastal Marin communities.
Working with experts to both reduce unnatural fuel buildup and restore native plant communities can reduce the intensity and severity of future wildfires and reduce the likelihood that they could destroy forests, burn down homes, and risk the lives of residents. Only a combination of strategic vegetation management, home hardening, defensible space, and public education can make our communities and landscapes wildfire resilient.
What Types of Vegetation Treatments May Occur in Coastal Marin?
Vegetation management projects for wildfire resilience typically target dead and down woody debris, non-native invasive shrubs and trees (such as French broom, gorse, acacia, echium, etc.) which out compete native understory plants and act as ladder fuels, diseased and otherwise hazardous trees (such as dead trees if they pose a hazard to nearby homes). Much of this work mimics the work that wildfire did on the landscape before fire suppression became standard at large scale. By thinning vegetation and removing thirsty non-native shrubs, mature native trees thrive, sequester more carbon, and are more resilient to future droughts and fires. These activities provide ecological as well as wildfire benefits and help create landscape conditions that more closely resemble those before widespread fire suppression and invasion of non-native plant species. Want to learn more about vegetation management? CLICK HERE
Want to learn more about the types of work already in progress in Coastal Marin County? CLICK HERE
How Does an Agency Get Permission from the California Coastal Commission to do Work in Coastal California?
One way to get permission to do restoration and fire fuels management in coastal areas is to prepare a Public Works Plan with California Coastal Commission staff and other partners. Marin Wildfire and the coastal member agencies are currently proposing the Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan (PWP).
CLICK HERE for a Frequently Asked Questions document related to the PWP.
PWPs Set Up a Process for Future Project Approvals: The PWP does not identify specific vegetation management projects. Rather, it provides a planning framework to review and authorize future individual vegetation management projects in Marin County’s Coastal Zone over the next 10 years or until dissolution of Marin Wildfire, whichever occurs sooner, using principles, strategies, and best management practices that align fire risk reduction planning with the protection of coastal resources. Over the authorized period of the PWP, Marin Wildfire and its partners plan to conduct targeted high priority forest health and fire prevention projects with voluntary collaborating landowners and land management agencies within the PWP Program Area (refer to figures) in moderate to very high wildfire hazard areas of the Coastal Zone of Marin County.
Collaboration and Coordination: This PWP has been designed in consultation with staff from the California Coastal Commission (CCC), Marin County Community Development Agency, Marin Wildfire and its member agencies, biologists, forest health experts, fire officials, and major land management agencies including the Department of Parks and Recreation (California State Parks).
Potential Future Projects Under the PWP: While the PWP Program Area is quite large, the entire program area would NOT be treated. Rather, future projects would only occur within a targeted and very small portion of the program area. Future projects that may be permitted through the PWP would include projects within and along the edges of communities and areas that would be critical for slowing fire spread on the landscape. For example, one project currently authorized temporarily through the Governor's Emergency Proclamation (CLICK HERE) could be permitted for the longer term through the PWP and includes targeted fuel reduction in targeted areas next to neighborhoods and roadways and reflects, in part, the footprint of the 1995 Vision Fire.
Having a PWP in place will allow for streamlined Coastal Act permitting for future vegetation management projects. Please explore the links below to learn more about how vegetation management helps reduce risk.
CLICK HERE to see recent case studies from CAL FIRE describing the role of vegetation management projects in recent fire suppression efforts.
CLICK HERE for information about how vegetation management helped prevent large scale destruction of homes during the 2021 Caldor Fire.
CLICK HERE for a short video explaining how vegetation management alters wildfire behavior.
CLICK HERE for more resources on the science behind this work.
Questions or Comments?
Questions and comments regarding the Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan can be directed to:
PWP Status and History
July 2026 Update
Marin Wildfire is continuing ongoing consultation with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and working closely with the Coastal Commission to finalize revisions to the Board-approved Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP for submittal to the Coastal Commission for consideration. Following submittal of the revised PWP application, the Coastal Commission will hold a hearing for consideration of approval. This will take place sometime during late 2026 or early 2027.
Following Coastal Commission approval and subsequent consideration by the Board of Directors for secondary approval with incorporation of any modifications, any proposed projects still require:
- CEQA compliance,
- Preparation of a Notice of Impending Development (NOID), and
- Coastal Commission approval.
Future projects would likely focus on work directly adjacent to homes and evacuation routes and look a lot like THIS, which is currently permitted through approximately 2027 through the Governor's Emergency Proclamation. It's important to note that only a very small portion of the program area would be part of any proposed future projects.
Board-Approved Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan and Response to Comments (Approved September 18, 2025)
The Board-approved Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP is available for review. All comments submitted on the Draft PWP were reviewed and addressed and the Response to Comments is also available.
Board-approved Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWPv
Draft Response to Comments (September 2025)
A version of the Board-approved Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP that shows changes between the draft and Board-approved document is available here.
Marin Wildfire Board of Directors Public Meeting (September 18, 2025)
On September 18, 2025 at 3:00 pm the Board of Directors for Marin Wildfire hosted a meeting to review the PWP. After review of the PWP and public comment, the Board of Directors approved the PWP. A record of the meeting can be found under the Meetings Tab on the homepage of the Marin Wildfire website.
Draft Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan (July 18, 2025 to August 29, 2025)
The Draft Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP was available for a 6-week period of public availability July 18, 2025 to August 29, 2025 (Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 13515).
Draft Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP, revised 7/30
During this public review period, hardcopies of the public Draft Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience PWP were also available at the following locations:
Coastal Zone Public Meeting (August 5, 2025)
Thank you to those who joined us on August 5, 2025 for an in-person public hearing in the Coastal zone on the Draft PWP at the Dance Palace Community & Cultural Center in Point Reyes Station. Links to slides and other materials from this meeting are below.
HANDOUT 2: USEFUL LINKS, CASE STUDIES, AND CITATIONS
EXAMPLE PHOTOS OF TYPICAL FUEL BREAK WORK IN CENTRAL MARIN
