Marin County Fire History
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  • Line of Duty Deaths
    • 1909 S.J. Frooman Died Fighting Jute Mill Fire
    • 1914 Fireman Aristid Papadimetrion Ross VFD
    • 1924 Fire Chief Walter A. Cook, Sausalito FD
    • 1932 Fire Warden Clarence C. Grimm, Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • 1936 Captain Robert A. "Bert" Meagor, San Anselmo FD
    • 1937 Fireman Louis H. Hewelcke, San Rafael FD
    • 1948 Fire Chief Samuel L. Mazza, Marin County FD
    • 1950 Fireman Aubrey E. "Jack" Miller, San Rafael FD
    • 1950 Fireman William "Sonny" Bottini Jr., San Rafael FD
    • 1958 Battalion Chief David A. Coutts, San Rafael FD
    • 1960 Cheda, Virgilio San Rafael FD Fire Marshal
    • 1961 Fireman Paul Hogancamp Marin County FD
    • 1961 Fireman Frank Kinsler, Alto Fire District
    • 1962 Fireman Thomas James Sutton Jr., Marinwood FD
    • 1967 Lake Keeper Raymond Paul Halderman, MMWD
    • 1969 Fire Chief George J. Cavallero, Novato FPD
    • 1970 Assistant Fire Chief Samuel J. Blumenberg, Hamilton Air Force Base FD
    • 1978 Fireman James Niven, Larkspur FD
    • 1980 - William Marsh, San Rafael FD
    • 2003 Firefighter Steven Rucker, Novato FPD
    • 2006 Paramedic and Captain Robert Paoli, Marinwood FD
    • 2008 Deputy Chief Jeff Powers, Southern Marin FPD
  • Major Fires, Incidents
    • Structure Fires >
      • 1875 Saucelito House Fire, in Sausalito
      • 1876 Structure Fire San Quentin Prison
      • 1884 Steamer Sausalito Ship Fire San Quentin
      • 1885 Tocaloma Hotel Tocaloma
      • 1890 Tiburon Burns Down
      • 1893 Sausalito Stables Fire
      • 1893 Sausalito Downtown Fire
      • 1893 San Rafael Buildings Burn
      • 1894 Larkspur Inn Burned Down
      • 1898 Tomales Downtown Burns
      • 1907 Original Muir Woods Inn
      • 1907 San Anselmo Structures
      • 1908 Lagunitas Country Club Fire in Ross
      • 1909 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1910 Corte Madera Homes Burned
      • 1910 Rossi's Villa Fire San Anselmo
      • 1911 Pastori's in Fairfax
      • 1913 Robert Dollar School Fire San Anselmo
      • 1913 Muir Woods Inn
      • 1913 Corte Madera Structure Fires
      • 1914 Town of Ross Structure Fires
      • 1915 Warehouse Fire San Rafael
      • 1915 B Street Fire, San Rafael
      • 1916 Samuel P. Taylor Paper Mill Fire
      • 1916 Tocaloma Hotel Fire
      • 1917 Belvedere Union Fish Plant
      • 1918 E.K. Woods Lumber Company San Anselmo
      • 1919 St Raphael's Church
      • 1920 The Great Tomales Fire
      • 1920 Madden Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1920 St. Francis Club, Kentfield
      • 1921 Tiburon, NWPRR Machine Shops
      • 1921 Tiburon Main Street Fire
      • 1923 Tavern of Tamalpais Burns Down
      • 1923 Mason Distillery Fire Sausalito
      • 1924 Shriner's Lodge San Rafael
      • 1926 Alta Mira Villa Fire, Sausalito
      • 1928 Rafael Hotel Fire
      • 1929 Tam O'Shanter Inn Corte Madera
      • 1929 Larkspur Nursery Explosion & Fire
      • 1929 Hotel Rossi Fairfax
      • 1929 Red Mill Inn, San Quentin
      • 1934 St. Cecilia's Church, San Geronimo
      • 1937 Belvedere, Union Fish Company Cod Plant
      • 1937 Orpheus Theater San Rafael
      • 1940 Hotel Nicasio Burns Down
      • 1940 Christiansen Lumber Mill San Rafael
      • 1945 Pini Building Novato
      • 1946 Crockett Warehouse Fire
      • 1949 Bath House Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Marin Storage & Trucking Company Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Mar Vista Motors San Rafael
      • 1951 Food Bank Fire, Larkspur
      • 1951 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1952 San Rafael Building & Plumbing Fire
      • 1952 Little Heating & Sheet Metal San Anselmo
      • 1952 Jocko's Hotel Nicasio
      • 1955 Bleu Baie Tavern, Marshall
      • 1955 Lodge Fire San Rafael
      • 1956 Olema Fatality Fire - Three Children
      • 1957 Hotaling Mansion Fire San Anselmo
      • 1957 Fourth St. Fire San Rafael
      • 1958 Simmons Building Downtown Novato
      • 1958 Bellach Furniture Fire San Rafael
      • 1960 Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1960 O'Neill and Logan Fire
      • 1961 Puerto Suello Tunnel
      • 1963 College of Marin Gymnasium Kentfield
      • 1963 American Distilling Company Fire in Sausalito
      • 1964 Duplex Fires Tiburon FPD
      • 1969 Novato Olompali Mansion Burns
      • 1969 San Rafael Tire & Brake
      • 1971 Court House Fires, San Rafael
      • 1975 New Joes Fire, Corte Madera
      • 1976 Peter Donahue Building Fire Tiburon
      • 1977 Lumber Yard Fire Novato
      • 1990 Dominican Convent Fire SR
      • 2008 Upland Fire, Corte Madera
    • Wildfires >
      • 1800's >
        • 1852 Marin County Wildfires
        • 1859 Mt. Tamalpais Fire, Mill Valley
        • 1865 Forest Fire Bolinas Bay Woods
        • 1878 Nicasio Wildfire
        • 1881 Forest Fire Blithedale Canyon Mill Valley
        • 1889 Forest Fire Corte Madera
        • 1890 Forest Fire San Rafael to Bolinas
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        • 1892 Wildfire Bolinas Road
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        • 1894 Forest Fire Mill Valley
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      • 1904 Forest Fire Bolinas Ridge
      • 1909 Larkspur Forest Fire
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      • 1926 Tamalpais Fires
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      • 1929 The Great Mill Valley Fire
      • 1932 Shafter Ranch Fire West Marin
      • 1932 Thanksgiving Day Wildfire, Near Alpine Club
      • 1936 Bolinas Ridge Wildfire
      • 1943 Bald Hill Fire Ross Valley
      • 1945 The Mill Fire, Carson Canyon
      • 1947 Corte Madera Wildfire
      • 1949 Ignacio Big Rock Ridge Wildfire
      • 1953 St. Vincents Marinwood
      • 1953 Sausalito, Wildfire
      • 1954 Guide Dogs for the Blind Terra Linda MCFD
      • 1958 Black Canyon San Rafael Wildfire
      • 1959 Kent Canyon, Brazil Ranch Wildfire
      • 1964 Hanly Fire, Sonoma County Mutual Aid
      • 1965 Muir Woods Wildfire
      • 1965 Chileno Valley Wildfire
      • 1966 Marincello Wildfire, Southern Marin Headlands
      • 1967 Bald Hill Fire, Ross
      • 1969 - Red Hill Fire, San Anselmo
      • 1972 Angel Island State Park
      • 1972 Kent Woodlands, October 9
      • 1976 Sorich Park Wildfire San Rafael
      • 1991 The Oakland Fire Mutual Aid
      • 1995 Mount Vision Fire Inverness
      • 2008 Angel Island Wildfire
    • Storms and Weather
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  • Special Recognition & Award Recipients
    • Bain, Mert, Fireman Larkspur Fire Department
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    • Dufficy, Dr. Rafael Jr. San Rafael FD
    • Marcucci, Robert, Chief San Rafael FD, retired
    • McLaren, Richard Evans, Chief San Anselmo FD
    • Massucco, Ken, Chief Marin County FD
    • Nelson, Ron, Lieutenant, Larkspur FD
    • Reilley, Charles R. (Jr.) Chief Marin County FD
    • Selby, Norman, "Kid McCoy" Fire Chief San Quentin
    • Wedemeyer, Arthur E. (Jr.), US Marine Corps, Larkspur FD
    • Wilson, Irwin "Willie" , Engineer Larkspur FD
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      • Bloom, Louis - Chief, Marin County FD
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      • Daniels, Charles I., Jr. (Chuck)
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      • Johansen, Martin San Rafael FD Chief
      • Martin, Bruce - San Rafael FD Chief
      • Mizroch, Dr. Stephen, M.D. - SR Fire Commissioner, Historian & Collector
      • Scheuer, Fred J. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Schneider, D.N. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Williams, John - Captain, San Rafael FD, retired, Historian
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      • Bogel, Steve - Chief, Sausalito FD
      • Bunker, Fred - Division Chief Sausalito FD, retired.
      • Pedersen, Swede Sausalito FD
      • Perry, Matts Sausalito FD
      • Poole, Gene Sausalito and San Rafael FD's
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    • Tiburon FPD Biographies >
      • Rappole Bliss, Rosemary - Chief, Tiburon FPD
      • Buscher, Franklin - Chief, Tiburon FPD
    • Barrows, Richard "Dick", Chief State OES
    • Drady, Harold "Spike" Nicasio VFD Chief
    • Gardner, Edwiin B. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Goodson, Carl - Battalion Chief, Santa Rosa FD, retired.
    • Hensley, William J. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Heynen, Carl Otto, Jr. Alto Richardson Bay FD
    • Kobseff, Nicolas 'Nick' Chief Nicasio VFD
    • Livingston, Dewey - West Marin Historian
    • McMurray, Bill Marin County Communications, MCSO
    • Mersereau, Laurence "Bunk" - Chief, Belvedere FD
    • Rogers, Art - Photographer
    • Souza, Robert - Chief, Tamalpais FPD
    • White, Dan - Ambulance Company Owner, Businessman & Videographer
  • Current Fire Service Associations
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    • 1850 Austrian Hand Pumper, Larkspur FD
    • 1916 Ford Model T Chemical Engine Larkspur
    • 1922 Stutz Fire Pumper San Rafael
    • 1923 American La France Pumper, Mill Valley FD
    • 1923 Ford Model T, Novato FD
    • 1927 American La France Pumper, Kentfield
    • 1929 Seagrave Pumper, Fairfax FD

The Olompali Mansion Fire
The former Burdell Home, north of Novato - February 2, 1969

Richard Pechner Photo

by Chief Paul Smith (ret)

The Burdell Mansion at Rancho Olompali was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 2, 1969. However, as much as there is to tell about the fire incident, an appropriate look back will frame this story.

The story of this historic site stretches back in time to the home of Miwok People, a Mexican land grant, a skirmish during the Bear Flag Revolt, then, the 19th century Victorian estate of the Burdell Family before becoming the hippie commune that burned. Today this 700 acre property is a California State Historic Park providing an historical interpretation of times gone by.

This site is the location of the first known adobe building north of the Golden Gate and was constructed by the Spanish in 1776 for the Miwok chief of the Olompali People. Interestingly, the Burdell Mansion at Olompali had been built around a second adobe home built in the 1840’s.

In June 1846 a group of Americans, in an attempt to loosen California from Mexican rule and form the Republic of California, initiated the Bear Flag revolt. Several armed Americans approached the adobe where the occupants, all Mexican citizens, were eating breakfast. Several shots were fired, leaving one man dead and another seriously wounded. This short lived Bear Flag Revolt was a bust. As a result US army troops were stationed nearby until Mexico ceded the land and statehood was granted California in 1850. Eventually, the property was acquired by the University of San Francisco.

During the mid 1960’s the Mansion had become a hippie commune. The folks there referred to themselves as the Chosen Family. During that period several rock bands and musicians spent time there including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. In the freewheeling spirt of the times several families lived communally with other like minded individuals. Reportedly, the early days of the commune were relatively peaceful, but the wide-open lifestyle and the influx of harder drugs led to the downturn of this hippie utopia. In the early morning hours of February 2, 1969 a fire broke out on the grounds. The residents were still asleep in the mansion and others were camped out in the grounds in their vans. At least two persons woke to the smell of smoke and helped evacuate the building. It is indeed fortunate no one perished in the blaze.

This Olompali Mansion Fire proved tragic as Novato Fire District Chief George Cavallero died while responding in his vehicle to the incident which was reported in just after five in the morning. The chief was headed northbound on Highway 101, just north of San Marin, when the crash occurred. His brother, Louis Cavallero, an off duty Novato Fire Lieutenant, was also responding to the fire. While enroute, he saw Novato Engine 3 stopped on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of the highway. The chief’s vehicle was in the ditch between the highway and the adjacent railroad tracks. Lieutenant Cavallero soon learned his brother was in cardiac arrest. The story of Chief Cavallero and his line of duty death is covered in greater detail on the Marin Fire History website. Another firefighter, also responding to the fire from home, struck the Grant Avenue bridge over Novato Creek. He suffered injuries and was treated at Novato General Hospital.

Needless to say, this fire had a roaring head start before the Novato fire companies arrived. A lack of suitable water supply hampered suppression efforts but the mansion’s 60,000 gallon swimming pool was tapped. About forty firefighters and seven pieces of equipment were deployed in an attempt to save the mansion. This deep seated fire originated within the mansion and was complicated as it was built around the original adobe structure without the use of fire blocking material. The upper floors and roof of the mansion collapsed while the firefighters continued their defensive positions outside the building. They attempted to stop the spread of the fire to uninvolved sections of the mansion and outbuilding. The fire was declared under control at about 0700.

While researching this story, an interview with Ken Cavallero was conducted. Ken is a retired fire captain with Novato Fire District and nephew of Chief George Cavallero. He provided some additional insight into this tragedy and how the Novato Fire District came to improve emergency medical response service to the community. As mentioned above, Chief Cavallero suffered a heart attack while responding to the Olompali fire. His son, Jimmy, was responding with Novato Engine 3 and brother, Lt. Louis Cavallero was responding off-duty in his private vehicle. Both vehicles stopped at location of the chief’s car on Highway 101.

When it was apparent the Chief was suffering a medical emergency, an ambulance was requested to the scene. In those day, a private ambulance from San Rafael responded. The ambulance apparently took a wrong turn while in route and reported that it would be delayed. Hearing this, the men from Engine 3 loaded Chief Cavallero into the back of his brother’s station wagon and he was rushed to Novato Hospital.

As a result of this tragedy the Novato Fire District decided the status quo was completely unacceptable. The District decided to provide a fire department based ambulance system. Initially, Basic Life Support (BLS) service was initiated. A few years later the District introduce a paramedic squad. This Advanced Life Support, or ALS, unit was dispatched along with the NFD ambulance. Eventually the District equipped all their ambulances as ALS units with two paramedics 24/7. Today, fire department based medical response and transportation to the hospital is the accepted standard throughout Marin County.
​
Editor's Note
The impetus for this piece was inspired when we received a couple of old photographs taken by Richard Pechner on the night of the tragedy. He was an eye witness to the event.
 Richard was a frequent visitor to Olompali and that night was sleeping in his van on the property.  He was awakened by the smell of smoke and the noise of the fire. Richard stated the Burdell mansion was fully involved by the time the first engines arrived. We would like to thank Richard Pechner for the use of his photos which prompted us to produce this article.  We would also like to thank the Novato Fire District and retired Novato fire captain Ken Cavallero for their efforts and contributions to the piece.  Newspaper clippings are from the Daily Independent Journal printed 03 February, 1969.   Ed.

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  • Blog
  • Videos & LIVE! Stream
  • Line of Duty Deaths
    • 1909 S.J. Frooman Died Fighting Jute Mill Fire
    • 1914 Fireman Aristid Papadimetrion Ross VFD
    • 1924 Fire Chief Walter A. Cook, Sausalito FD
    • 1932 Fire Warden Clarence C. Grimm, Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • 1936 Captain Robert A. "Bert" Meagor, San Anselmo FD
    • 1937 Fireman Louis H. Hewelcke, San Rafael FD
    • 1948 Fire Chief Samuel L. Mazza, Marin County FD
    • 1950 Fireman Aubrey E. "Jack" Miller, San Rafael FD
    • 1950 Fireman William "Sonny" Bottini Jr., San Rafael FD
    • 1958 Battalion Chief David A. Coutts, San Rafael FD
    • 1960 Cheda, Virgilio San Rafael FD Fire Marshal
    • 1961 Fireman Paul Hogancamp Marin County FD
    • 1961 Fireman Frank Kinsler, Alto Fire District
    • 1962 Fireman Thomas James Sutton Jr., Marinwood FD
    • 1967 Lake Keeper Raymond Paul Halderman, MMWD
    • 1969 Fire Chief George J. Cavallero, Novato FPD
    • 1970 Assistant Fire Chief Samuel J. Blumenberg, Hamilton Air Force Base FD
    • 1978 Fireman James Niven, Larkspur FD
    • 1980 - William Marsh, San Rafael FD
    • 2003 Firefighter Steven Rucker, Novato FPD
    • 2006 Paramedic and Captain Robert Paoli, Marinwood FD
    • 2008 Deputy Chief Jeff Powers, Southern Marin FPD
  • Major Fires, Incidents
    • Structure Fires >
      • 1875 Saucelito House Fire, in Sausalito
      • 1876 Structure Fire San Quentin Prison
      • 1884 Steamer Sausalito Ship Fire San Quentin
      • 1885 Tocaloma Hotel Tocaloma
      • 1890 Tiburon Burns Down
      • 1893 Sausalito Stables Fire
      • 1893 Sausalito Downtown Fire
      • 1893 San Rafael Buildings Burn
      • 1894 Larkspur Inn Burned Down
      • 1898 Tomales Downtown Burns
      • 1907 Original Muir Woods Inn
      • 1907 San Anselmo Structures
      • 1908 Lagunitas Country Club Fire in Ross
      • 1909 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1910 Corte Madera Homes Burned
      • 1910 Rossi's Villa Fire San Anselmo
      • 1911 Pastori's in Fairfax
      • 1913 Robert Dollar School Fire San Anselmo
      • 1913 Muir Woods Inn
      • 1913 Corte Madera Structure Fires
      • 1914 Town of Ross Structure Fires
      • 1915 Warehouse Fire San Rafael
      • 1915 B Street Fire, San Rafael
      • 1916 Samuel P. Taylor Paper Mill Fire
      • 1916 Tocaloma Hotel Fire
      • 1917 Belvedere Union Fish Plant
      • 1918 E.K. Woods Lumber Company San Anselmo
      • 1919 St Raphael's Church
      • 1920 The Great Tomales Fire
      • 1920 Madden Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1920 St. Francis Club, Kentfield
      • 1921 Tiburon, NWPRR Machine Shops
      • 1921 Tiburon Main Street Fire
      • 1923 Tavern of Tamalpais Burns Down
      • 1923 Mason Distillery Fire Sausalito
      • 1924 Shriner's Lodge San Rafael
      • 1926 Alta Mira Villa Fire, Sausalito
      • 1928 Rafael Hotel Fire
      • 1929 Tam O'Shanter Inn Corte Madera
      • 1929 Larkspur Nursery Explosion & Fire
      • 1929 Hotel Rossi Fairfax
      • 1929 Red Mill Inn, San Quentin
      • 1934 St. Cecilia's Church, San Geronimo
      • 1937 Belvedere, Union Fish Company Cod Plant
      • 1937 Orpheus Theater San Rafael
      • 1940 Hotel Nicasio Burns Down
      • 1940 Christiansen Lumber Mill San Rafael
      • 1945 Pini Building Novato
      • 1946 Crockett Warehouse Fire
      • 1949 Bath House Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Marin Storage & Trucking Company Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Mar Vista Motors San Rafael
      • 1951 Food Bank Fire, Larkspur
      • 1951 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1952 San Rafael Building & Plumbing Fire
      • 1952 Little Heating & Sheet Metal San Anselmo
      • 1952 Jocko's Hotel Nicasio
      • 1955 Bleu Baie Tavern, Marshall
      • 1955 Lodge Fire San Rafael
      • 1956 Olema Fatality Fire - Three Children
      • 1957 Hotaling Mansion Fire San Anselmo
      • 1957 Fourth St. Fire San Rafael
      • 1958 Simmons Building Downtown Novato
      • 1958 Bellach Furniture Fire San Rafael
      • 1960 Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1960 O'Neill and Logan Fire
      • 1961 Puerto Suello Tunnel
      • 1963 College of Marin Gymnasium Kentfield
      • 1963 American Distilling Company Fire in Sausalito
      • 1964 Duplex Fires Tiburon FPD
      • 1969 Novato Olompali Mansion Burns
      • 1969 San Rafael Tire & Brake
      • 1971 Court House Fires, San Rafael
      • 1975 New Joes Fire, Corte Madera
      • 1976 Peter Donahue Building Fire Tiburon
      • 1977 Lumber Yard Fire Novato
      • 1990 Dominican Convent Fire SR
      • 2008 Upland Fire, Corte Madera
    • Wildfires >
      • 1800's >
        • 1852 Marin County Wildfires
        • 1859 Mt. Tamalpais Fire, Mill Valley
        • 1865 Forest Fire Bolinas Bay Woods
        • 1878 Nicasio Wildfire
        • 1881 Forest Fire Blithedale Canyon Mill Valley
        • 1889 Forest Fire Corte Madera
        • 1890 Forest Fire San Rafael to Bolinas
        • 1891 Forest Fire Bill Williams Gulch
        • 1892 Wildfire Bolinas Road
        • 1893 Forest Fire Mill Valley and Mt. Tam
        • 1894 Forest Fire Mill Valley
        • 1899 Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Larkspur Wildfire
      • 1904 Forest Fire Bolinas Ridge
      • 1909 Larkspur Forest Fire
      • 1913 Mt. Tamalpais, Larkspur, and Muir Woods Fire
      • 1917 Inverness Ridge Wildfire
      • 1919 Muir Woods and Mt. Tam
      • 1919 Sausalito Hills
      • 1923 Wildfires including Ignacio to Bolinas Ridge, Fairfax
      • 1926 Tamalpais Fires
      • 1928 Wildfire Fort Barry
      • 1929 The Great Mill Valley Fire
      • 1932 Shafter Ranch Fire West Marin
      • 1932 Thanksgiving Day Wildfire, Near Alpine Club
      • 1936 Bolinas Ridge Wildfire
      • 1943 Bald Hill Fire Ross Valley
      • 1945 The Mill Fire, Carson Canyon
      • 1947 Corte Madera Wildfire
      • 1949 Ignacio Big Rock Ridge Wildfire
      • 1953 St. Vincents Marinwood
      • 1953 Sausalito, Wildfire
      • 1954 Guide Dogs for the Blind Terra Linda MCFD
      • 1958 Black Canyon San Rafael Wildfire
      • 1959 Kent Canyon, Brazil Ranch Wildfire
      • 1964 Hanly Fire, Sonoma County Mutual Aid
      • 1965 Muir Woods Wildfire
      • 1965 Chileno Valley Wildfire
      • 1966 Marincello Wildfire, Southern Marin Headlands
      • 1967 Bald Hill Fire, Ross
      • 1969 - Red Hill Fire, San Anselmo
      • 1972 Angel Island State Park
      • 1972 Kent Woodlands, October 9
      • 1976 Sorich Park Wildfire San Rafael
      • 1991 The Oakland Fire Mutual Aid
      • 1995 Mount Vision Fire Inverness
      • 2008 Angel Island Wildfire
    • Storms and Weather
    • Accidents and Rescues
    • Hazardous Materials Incidents
  • Special Recognition & Award Recipients
    • Bain, Mert, Fireman Larkspur Fire Department
    • Bent, Edward W. State Fire Training
    • Coleman, Ronny J. State Fire Marshal, retired
    • Dufficy, Dr. Rafael Jr. San Rafael FD
    • Marcucci, Robert, Chief San Rafael FD, retired
    • McLaren, Richard Evans, Chief San Anselmo FD
    • Massucco, Ken, Chief Marin County FD
    • Nelson, Ron, Lieutenant, Larkspur FD
    • Reilley, Charles R. (Jr.) Chief Marin County FD
    • Selby, Norman, "Kid McCoy" Fire Chief San Quentin
    • Wedemeyer, Arthur E. (Jr.), US Marine Corps, Larkspur FD
    • Wilson, Irwin "Willie" , Engineer Larkspur FD
  • Biographies
    • Corte Madera FD Biographies >
      • Childress, John Corte Madera FD Captain/Medic
      • Ferguson, Joseph Stanley - CMVFD Ltd., Artist, Cartoonist
      • Forster, Jack William, Corte Madera Volunteer FD Ltd.
      • Kelly, Harold - Assistant Chief, Corte Madera VFD Ltd.
      • Larson, Lee Assistant Fire Chief Corte Madera FD
      • Moreno, Anthony "Tony" Corte Madera VFD
      • Nelson, Franklin Lars - Chief Corte Madera VFD Ltd.
      • Nelson, William Corte Madera VFD
      • Ralston, Bud Corte Madera FD
      • Salarpi, Larry Corte Madera FD
      • Walker, James Corte Madera VFD
    • Kentfield FPD Biographies >
      • Kamp, Kenny - Chief Kentfield FPD
      • Mariani, Guido Kentfield FPD Asst. Chief
      • Mariani, Robert - Chief Kentfield FPD
      • Ruhland, Fred Kentfield FPD
    • Larkspur Fire Department Biographies >
      • Archer, Douglas - Deputy Chief Larkspur FD, retired, Historian
      • Bartram, George Larkspur FD Chief
      • Doherty, Dolph - Chief, Larkspur FD
      • Lellis, William - Chief, Larkspur FD retired, Photographer & Historian
      • Nelson, Rudolph "Rudy", Filmmaker
      • Raggio, John Fire Chief, Larkspur FD
      • Shurtz, Craig Larkspur FD Chief
      • Wedemeyer, Arthur Edward Sr., Filmmaker, Pilot, Mayor
    • Marin County FD Biographies >
      • Bloom, Louis - Chief, Marin County FD
      • De la Montanya, Lloyd - Chief, Marin County FD
      • Jennings, Greg , Senior Captain Marin County FD retired, Historian
      • Martin, Pete - Captain, Marin County FD, retired, Historian
      • Meuser, Brian Marin County FD
      • Nunes, Clarence Marin County FD
      • Rowan, Stan - Chief, Marin County FD, retired
      • Selfridge, James - Deputy Chief, Marin County FD, retired
    • Mill Valley FD Biographies >
      • Davidson, Jeff Mill Valley Chief
    • Novato Fire District Biographies >
      • Bacon, Harold A. "Tony", Captain, Novato FPD retired
      • Berthinier, James - Chief, Novato FPD, retired
      • Meston, Jeff, Chief Novato FPD, retired
      • Rentz, John - Chief, Novato FPD, retired
    • San Anselmo FD Biographies >
      • Beedle, Robert San Anselmo FD Chief
      • Cartwright, Charles San Anselmo FD
      • Marcucci, Marty Battalion Chief Ross Valley FPD, retired
      • Marcucci, Nello Fire Chief San Anselmo FD
      • Meagor, Linda Louise San Anselmo FD
      • Sousa, Frank Chief, San Anselmo FD
    • San Rafael Fire Biographies >
      • Castro, Walter San Rafael FD
      • Diego, John San Rafael FD
      • Daniels, Charles I., Jr. (Chuck)
      • Johansen, Clarence Fritz San Rafael FD Chief
      • Johansen, Martin San Rafael FD Chief
      • Martin, Bruce - San Rafael FD Chief
      • Mizroch, Dr. Stephen, M.D. - SR Fire Commissioner, Historian & Collector
      • Scheuer, Fred J. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Schneider, D.N. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Williams, John - Captain, San Rafael FD, retired, Historian
    • Sausalito FD Biographies >
      • Bogel, Steve - Chief, Sausalito FD
      • Bunker, Fred - Division Chief Sausalito FD, retired.
      • Pedersen, Swede Sausalito FD
      • Perry, Matts Sausalito FD
      • Poole, Gene Sausalito and San Rafael FD's
      • Quayle, Robert - Chief, Sausalito FD
    • Tiburon FPD Biographies >
      • Rappole Bliss, Rosemary - Chief, Tiburon FPD
      • Buscher, Franklin - Chief, Tiburon FPD
    • Barrows, Richard "Dick", Chief State OES
    • Drady, Harold "Spike" Nicasio VFD Chief
    • Gardner, Edwiin B. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Goodson, Carl - Battalion Chief, Santa Rosa FD, retired.
    • Hensley, William J. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Heynen, Carl Otto, Jr. Alto Richardson Bay FD
    • Kobseff, Nicolas 'Nick' Chief Nicasio VFD
    • Livingston, Dewey - West Marin Historian
    • McMurray, Bill Marin County Communications, MCSO
    • Mersereau, Laurence "Bunk" - Chief, Belvedere FD
    • Rogers, Art - Photographer
    • Souza, Robert - Chief, Tamalpais FPD
    • White, Dan - Ambulance Company Owner, Businessman & Videographer
  • Current Fire Service Associations
    • California Fire Chiefs Association
    • California State Firefighters Association
    • Retired Fire Service Groups
    • Fire Safe Marin
    • Fire Training Officers Section MCFCA
    • Fire Prevention Officers Section MCFCA >
      • Fire Investigation Team
    • International Association of Fire Chiefs
    • Marin County Fire Chiefs Association >
      • 2017 Installation Dinner
      • 2018 Installation Dinner Ignacio
      • Perpetual Leadership Award Recipients
    • Marin Office of Emergency Services
    • Northern California Fire Prevention Officers, CFCA
    • Northern California Fire Training Officers, CFCA
    • Operation Chiefs Section MCFCA
    • Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association
  • Former Fire Service Associations
    • Larkspur FD Ladies Auxiliary
    • Lucas Valley Volunteer Fire Association
    • Marin County Association of Fire Departments
    • Marin County Association of FD's Ladies Auxiliary
    • Marin Sonoma Fire Training Officers Association
    • Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs
    • Redwood Empire Tri-County Fireman's Association
    • Redwood Fire and Protective Association
    • Stockmens Protective Association
    • Tamalpais Forestry Association
  • Competitions, Sports, and Events
    • Baseball & Softball Teams
    • Chili Cookoffs
    • Football Team
    • Hose Cart Racing
    • Larkspur Fire Muster 1978-1984
    • Oregon & Nevada Musters
    • California Fire Musters
    • Water Fights
    • 4th of July Fireworks Displays
  • National Fire Heritage Center
  • Emergency Medical Services
    • Annual EMS Survivors Dinner
  • The Hazardous Materials Team
  • College Fire Science and Technology Programs
    • Santa Rosa Junior College
    • College of Marin
  • Residential "Sleeper" Programs at FD's
    • Corte Madera FD Sleeper Program
    • Kentfield FPD Sleeper Program
    • Ross Fire Department Sleeper Program
    • Tiburon Fire Protection District Sleeper Program
  • History of California State Fire Training
  • Marin County Fire Training
  • Fire Water Systems
  • Communications Systems, Radios, MERA
  • Urban Search & Rescue Team (USAR)
  • Tamalpais Fire Crew
  • Sanborn Fire Maps
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • National Fire History, Related
    • The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders, Origin
  • Fire Apparatus & Equipment
    • C.A.M. Manufacturing & Louis P. Soldavini
    • The Transition to Motorized Apparatus
    • Historical List of Apparatus For Marin County
    • 1850 Austrian Hand Pumper, Larkspur FD
    • 1916 Ford Model T Chemical Engine Larkspur
    • 1922 Stutz Fire Pumper San Rafael
    • 1923 American La France Pumper, Mill Valley FD
    • 1923 Ford Model T, Novato FD
    • 1927 American La France Pumper, Kentfield
    • 1929 Seagrave Pumper, Fairfax FD