The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (Marin Wildfire) is proud to announce that it has received the 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Award, the highest national honor for outstanding work in wildfire preparedness and community risk reduction. The award was presented on March 25, 2026, at the International Association of Fire Chiefs Wildland Urban Interface Conference in Reno, Nevada. 

The Wildfire Mitigation Award is administered by a coalition of national organizations: the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service. Established to recognize significant and measurable impact in wildfire mitigation, the award honors communities, agencies, and organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to reducing wildfire risk on the ground. 

“Since its inception, Marin Wildfire has grown into one of California’s leading local wildfire prevention agencies,” said Mark Brown, Executive Officer of Marin Wildfire. “Receiving the Wildfire Mitigation Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the collective dedication of our partner agencies, community volunteers, and Marin County residents who have invested in making our communities safer. We remain committed to doing the hard work on the ground to protect lives, homes, and the landscapes we all cherish.” 

Marin Wildfire was nominated and selected from a competitive national field of candidates. The Authority was recognized for its systematic, community-wide approach to making Marin more fire-adapted, including large-scale fuel reduction projects, public education campaigns, strategic grant acquisition, and close coordination with local fire agencies, state partners, and community stakeholders. 

“It was an honor to accept the Wildfire Mitigation Award on behalf of all 17 Marin Wildfire Member Agencies,” said Cathryn Hilliard, Marin Wildfire Board President. “We are very pleased that people throughout the state and country have started to take notice of our holistic approach to wildfire mitigation.” 

Created through voter approval of Measure C in 2020, Marin Wildfire leverages local funding alongside state and federal grants to implement a wide range of mitigation efforts, including shaded fuel breaks, defensible space programs, and community preparedness initiatives across Marin County. 

For more information about the Wildfire Mitigation Award program, visit www.stateforesters.org/wildfire-mitigation. For more information about Marin Wildfire and its programs, visit www.marinwildfire.org. 

Pictured: MWPA Board President Cathryn Hilliard and MWPA Executive Officer Mark Brown.