Residents of Marin County experienced a late-night scare as a grass fire broke out on the north side of Atherton Ave yesterday. According to the Marin County Fire Department, the flames were reported just after 11:00 pm, while vigorous western winds threatened to spread the fire eastward toward Oak Shade Lane, putting local homes at risk. This prompted an urgent evacuation order for the area around Atherton Ave.
An all-out effort by firefighters brought the fire's advance to a halt at approximately 5 acres by just after midnight. The evacuation order was subsequently downgraded to a warning around 1:00 am and lifted entirely at about 1:30 am. Despite lifting evacuation orders, the Marin County Fire Department emphasizes the continued presence of firefighting crews to ensure safety and cautions residents to be prepared for future emergencies by signing up for alerts at AlertMarin.org.
Unified operations were conducted by the Marin County Fire Department, Novato Fire District, Novato Police Department, and the Marin County Sheriff's Department. Initial on-scene resources included 17 engines, one bulldozer, a hand crew, and two water tenders, ensuring a robust response to the unexpected blaze.
Further evacuation assistance came from the Marin County Sheriff's Office, which aided residents in areas like Oak Shade Lane and Saddle Wood Drive. Deputies worked through the night, going door to door, ensuring everyone was safely evacuated. A gathering center was also made available at the Novato Fire District Station 62 parking lot for those affected by the fire. In a show of resilience, the community was informed that by 1:23 am, containment reached 25%, a substantial gain from the initial reconnaissance of the area.
For updates and information on disaster preparedness, residents are encouraged to visit FireSafeMarin.org and keep abreast via emergency.marincounty.org for real-time updates on ongoing safety efforts.
