Natural disasters have become a fact of everyday life, and Larkspur is working to be better prepared. The most likely disasters for our community are earthquake, fire, flooding and long-term power outages either as a direct consequence of a disaster or a preventative measure.

Preparing for Potential Evacuations and Power Outages

Our streets improvement program has been hard at work upgrading critical streets and roads throughout the City. Meanwhile, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, authorized by voters in March 2020, is now actively working on fire prevention along Larkspur’s evacuation routes.

This means reducing invasive weeds, grasses, shrubs, dead woody vegetation, and some small diameter trees adjacent to evacuation routes that would create hazardous conditions during a fire.

We currently work with the County to provide local cooling shelters and assistance to those most in need, particularly seniors and people with disabilities. As the nearest evacuation center is outside Larkspur’s city limits, we are working on ways to fund our own center within City limits. This center is envisioned to serve as a place for the community to gather to receive basic services during emergency situations. This includes charging stations and HVAC during Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS events) and a clean air space during major fire events.

We also need to work towards investing additional funding and resources into our Neighborhood Response Group (NRG) program to provide additional training and supplies to the Larkspur community to supplement County efforts so that materials are available on the ground in the immediate aftermath of an emergency

If you or someone you know is in need of extra assistance during a natural disaster, PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program offers customers extra notifications so they can prepare for potential shut-offs. Please sign up.

Flooding & Sinkhole Issues

Larkspur’s 75-100 year old storm drains are aging and deteriorating rapidly. Many have not been repaired in over 25 years and are starting to create sinkholes. This is especially critical for major roads in and out of town and our neighborhoods that are prone to flooding and vulnerable to the impacts of long-term sea level rise. We are working to repair our deteriorating storm drains before the costs of flooding, sinkholes, and other damage become even more expensive in the future

It is critical that we prepare for future natural disasters, while maintaining Larkspur’s long-term financial stability and property values.

We are engaging the public, civic leaders and the City Council to determine the most fiscally prudent approach to protecting our community in the event of a natural disaster, and proactively addressing our storm drain and infrastructure needs.

Community Feedback

Polco National Citizens Survey

2022 Community Priorities Survey

Learn More 

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority

Marin County Emergency Preparedness

Marin Sheriff Emergency Services

Marin’s Public Emergency Portal

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Study

Literature Review of the State-of-the-Science in Wildfire Evacuation