The term "element" refers to the topics that California law requires to be covered in a general plan (GC § 65302). A city's safety element establishes policies and programs to protect the community from risks associated with seismic, geologic, flood, and wildfire hazards, as well as from other concerns such as drought.

The current process underway will update the Safety Element to meet new requirements enacted under State law and to align it with the Town’s section of the updated Marin County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) adopted in 2024. For funding and other implications, it is important the MJHMP and the General Plan Safety Element are consistent with one another. Additionally, several other changes to the element will serve to make it consistent with housing element policies and more streamlined.

While review of the Safety Element by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CALFIRE) is not required as there are no Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within the Town limit, CALFIRE’s General Plan Safety Element Assessment Guidelines and Office of Planning and Research’s “Fire Hazard Planning, General Plan Technical Advice Series" will be referenced in preparing policies and programs for the Safety Element to ensure that best practices are incorporated. A link to CALFIRE's most recent map is provided below.

A draft of the Safety Element is posted below.

The Town of Fairfax in partnership with other Marin County jurisdictions has completed the Marin Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MMHMJ). This plan, which is updated every five years, assesses natural hazard risks and identifies and prioritizes projects to reduce those risks.

Resources

The Town, in conjunction, with FIRESafe MARIN and the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) has prepared evacuation maps for Fairfax neighborhoods. In addition to routes, the maps contains important safety tips, an evacuation checklist, and how to receive information regarding emergencies.

Up to date information during an emergency incident from the County of Marin Office of Emergency Services.

Sign up to receive Alert Marin notifications for the Town of Fairfax.

The Community Emergency Preparedness Committee was established to support and help coordinate collaborative town-wide efforts to prepare residents to respond to emergencies of all kinds. The general focus of the Committee is on tangible, practical, cost-effective actions regarding emergency preparedness that can be implemented at the local level.

Emergency preparedness tool for Marin County.

Neighbors helping neighbors–this is what Firewise is all about. Residents join as a Firewise site and take action to prepare themselves, their homes, and their properties against the threat of wildfire. They look out for one another and provide those in need of assistance with help in emergency preparation.