Despite increased awareness of the dangers of wildfires, an alarming number of Californians still aren’t prepared for them. Every year, we’re told to pack go bags, clear out the dried debris around our homes and to keep a full tank of gas when there’s a red flag warning, meaning the potential for fire is high. But how many of us actually do these things?

Dozens of residents and firefighters gathered on Sunday in the tiny coastal town of Tomales. In the town hall, past a table of coffee and donut holes, they met around six folding tables covered with giant maps of Tomales and the surrounding agricultural region from Dillon Beach to Two Rock.