The state has designated Mill Valley-based Fire Safe Marin as Marin County's Wildfire County Coordinator, giving the nonprofit a formal role linking California's wildfire strategy to local preparedness efforts.

Bill Tyler, Fire Safe Marin's executive director and a retired fire chief, serves as the coordinator, the organization announced on Monday, Aug. 31. Tyler is a retired Novato Fire District fire chief. He joined Fire Safe Marin in July 2025 after leading the Novato district since 2018.

The designation falls under the statewide Wildfire County Coordinator Program, established in 2021 with funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and administered by the California Fire Safe Council. The program now funds coordinators in 52 of California's 58 counties.

What the role covers

As coordinator, Tyler works with the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, the Marin County Fire Department, the Marin County Office of Emergency Management, local fire agencies and Firewise communities across the county. The role includes creating countywide outreach content, supporting Marin's Community Wildfire Protection Plan and sharing local project data with statewide partners.

For residents, the coordinator program supports resources including emergency preparedness guides, home hardening and defensible space guidance, wildfire risk home evaluations, Firewise community support and Spanish-language preparedness materials.

Fire Safe Marin said the program helps agencies provide residents with clear, consistent guidance and reduces duplication in outreach. The organization noted that wildfire preparedness involves multiple agencies and communication channels, and the coordinator role connects those pieces.

Statewide reach

Across California, county coordinators have worked with more than 10,000 organizations and helped engage more than 970,000 people, according to Fire Safe Marin. The California Fire Safe Council said coordinators statewide have secured roughly $74.5 million in additional funding for wildfire resilience projects since the program launched.

The program's direction comes from the Governor's Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force Action Plan.

The designation comes as local agencies focus on preparedness heading into September. Southern Marin Fire District launched its own September preparedness campaign encouraging residents to sign up for AlertMarin, clear defensible space, build go bags and connect with neighbors.

Residents can find preparedness resources on Fire Safe Marin's website.