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[Austin Wildfire Preparedness News Conference ]
I'M TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN.UH, THANKS Y'ALL FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY AS WE TRY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE SEASON.
IT'S A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AND WE'VE GOT FOLKS FROM THE DIFFERENT TRAVIS COUNTY ESDS FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM STAR FLIGHT AND DIFFERENT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS FROM BOTH ENTITIES, UM, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR.
UH, TODAY WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN IN GENERAL WEATHER INTENSIFY MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND AS WE SAW EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY, TEXAS HAD THE LARGEST WILDFIRE RECORDED IN STATE HISTORY AND THE SECOND LARGEST WILDFIRE IN US HISTORY, WHERE OVER 1 MILLION ACRES BURNED QUICKLY IN NORTH TEXAS DUE TO DRY, WARM, AND WINDY CONDITIONS, WHICH WE ALL KNOW CONTRIBUTES TO A HIGHER RISK OF IGNITING A WILDFIRE.
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, MOST WILD WILDFIRES ARE PREVENTABLE.
THEY'RE STARTED EVERY DAY BY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING WRONG AND DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE GONNA START A WILDFIRE.
HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, I'VE SEEN A WILDFIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF A CHAIN DRAGGING 'CAUSE THE DRIVER DIDN'T PROPERLY SECURE THE CHAIN ON THE TRUCK AND DRAGGED IT ON PAVEMENT, CREATED A SPARK, STARTED A WILDFIRE.
SO DON'T LET YOUR FRIENDS, UH, DO THIS.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE SO THAT WE DON'T GET ANOTHER BIG FIRE.
HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE GRASS FIRES WHICH SPREAD QUICKLY AND CAN BE VERY DEADLY.
AND HERE'S SOME WAYS YOU CAN PREVENT GRASS FIRES.
DON'T THROW LIT CIGARETTES OUT THE WINDOW.
CHECK TRAILER CHAINS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT DRAGGING THEM.
AVOID PARKING YOUR CAR OR TRUCK ON DRY GRASS OR DRIVING THROUGH TALL GRASS, ESPECIALLY DURING DROUGHT.
STAY PREPARED AND SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS AND MESSAGES ON SEVERE WEATHER LIKE WILDFIRE FROM WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CHECK AND BE ALERT OF THE WILDFIRE DANGER RATING WHEN FIRE DANGER IS HIGH, ANY SPARK COULD START A FIRE, BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS WITH ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITY THAT COULD SPARK, INCLUDING BURNING TRASH OR DEBRIS.
THAT'S ALWAYS ILLEGAL IN THE CITY, BUT WE DO HAVE, WE PERMIT BURNING LIKE THAT OUT IN THE COUNTY WHEN IT'S NOT SUPER DRY.
SETTING OFF FIREWORKS, ALSO ILLEGAL INSIDE THE CITY.
HOT WORK LIKE WELDING THAT CAN START FIRES AND THAT DOES START FIRES USING OUTDOOR FIREPLACES AND FIRE PITS.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T PUT YOUR GAS OR YOUR CHARCOAL BARBECUE ON GRASS AND DON'T THROW ASHES OUT TEAR UNTIL THEY'RE TOTALLY COLD.
THE GREATEST THREAT TO YOUR HOME DURING A WILDFIRE IS TRAVELING EMBER.
BY HARDENING YOUR HOME, YOU CAN MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR EMBERS THAT LAND THERE TO START A FIRE.
EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS CLEANING YOUR GUTTERS OUT CAN HELP.
FOR OTHER TIPS YOU CAN LOOK UNDER, PROTECT YOUR HOME ON THE WILDFIRE COALITION WEBSITE, OR YOU CAN CON CONTACT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR A FREE PERSONALIZED HOME IGNITION ZONE EVALUATION.
IF YOU LIVE IN AUSTIN, YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 TO SET UP THAT MEETING.
I'M TELLING A LOT OF AUSTIN THINGS HERE, MAYOR.
UM, IT'S TRY AS LONG AS I, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THESE PRECAUTIONS AND BE PREPARED.
IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO, I'M SURE MANY FOLKS HERE REMEMBER THE 67 ACRE BRUSH FIRE THAT WE HAD IN PFLUGERVILLE OR JUST EAST OF PFLUGERVILLE IN JULY OF 22.
AND THANKFULLY, ESD TWO AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY STAR FLIGHT TEAMS STOPPED THE FIRE FROM WORSENING.
BUT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PREVENT MORE WILDFIRES FROM IGNITING LIKE THAT.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND OUR EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS HAVE EXCEPTIONALLY BRAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO FIGHT WILDFIRES, RUSH INTO BURNING BUILDINGS, PROVIDE CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE, AND OFFER COMFORT AND REASSURANCE TO THOSE IN NEED.
THEY MEET PEOPLE IN THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES, AND THAT'S NOT AN EASY JOB.
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THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND TO SUPPORT, SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED.THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL WILL LET US KNOW WHENEVER A BURN BAN IS IN PLACE.
I ANNOUNCED THAT ON TUESDAYS IN OUR COMMISSIONER COURT MEETINGS IF IT GETS SEVERE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE'LL BE READY TO COORDINATE WITH STATE PARTNERS AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO WORK TOGETHER AND BETTER ACCESS RESOURCES TO COMBAT ANY WILDFIRES.
AGAIN, MAKE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR ALERTS@WARRENTEXAS.ORG AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'LL PASS IT ON TO MAYOR WATSON.
UM, AS HE INDICATED, I'M MAYOR KIRK WATSON, AND I APPRECIATE THE ATTENDANCE OF EVERYONE HERE TODAY AS WE SHARE INFORMATION THAT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FRIGHTENS ME THE MOST IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DO OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS DEALING WITH WILDFIRES.
AND THE IMPACT THAT WILDFIRES CAN HAVE MAY IS WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH AND WITH GOOD REASON.
UH, WE, WE MAKE THAT A MONTH THAT WE PAY ATTENTION AND WE TRY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
THE WEATHER, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS ALREADY STARTING TO WARM UP EVEN MORE.
AND DESPITE THE RECENT RAIN, WE'RE STILL IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND WE ALL KNOW THAT TEXAS SUMMERS MEAN THERE IS A VERY REAL THREAT OF WILDFIRE, AS THE JUDGE SAID.
AND AS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED VIVIDLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WEATHER IS INTENSIFYING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES.
AS I POINTED OUT, WE'RE SEEING HOTTER SUMMERS, WE'RE SEEING LONGER DROUGHTS, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE FREQUENT WINDY DAYS, WHICH ALL CONTRIBUTE TO A HIGHER RISK FOR WILDFIRE.
IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE HERE IN AUSTIN TO BE AWARE AND PREPARED BECAUSE AUSTIN RANKS SIXTH IN THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF HOMES THAT ARE AT RISK FROM A WILDFIRE.
AND AND WHY IS THAT? PART OF THE ANSWER IS THAT THE AUSTIN AREA IS EXPERIENCING RAPID POPULATION GROWTH.
SO MANY NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT AND WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE, THAT IS A ZONE OF TRANSITION.
IT'S AN INTERFACE BETWEEN THE UNOCCUPIED LAND AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S WHERE BUILDINGS MEET UNDEVELOPED LAND LIKE FORESTS AND FIELDS.
MORE THAN 90% OF WILDFIRES ARE CAUSED BY PEOPLE OR INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE POWER LINES.
SO AS, AS THE JUDGE INDICATED, SO THE RAPID GROWTH IN HOMES BEING BUILT IN THAT ZONE OF TRANSITION INCREASES WILDFIRE RISK TO LIVES, HOMES, AND BUSINESSES.
THE JUDGE SAID IT VERY WELL, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING.
REMEMBER, FLAMES AREN'T THE MAIN WAY THAT FIRES SPREAD.
WHAT HE POINTED OUT WAS, DURING A WILDFIRE, EMBERS CAN TRAVEL MORE THAN A MILE FROM THEIR SOURCE AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF HOME IGNITIONS.
SO WHETHER YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY OR DOWNTOWN, WILDFIRE COULD AFFECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
FIRE DANGER IN CENTRAL TEXAS IS UNIQUE WITH OUR UNIQUE VEGETATION, TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE.
OUR WILDFIRE RISK IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT HERE.
SO I ASK YOU TO CHECK OUT READY, SET, GO@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG.
READY, SET GO WILL GIVE YOU GUIDANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
BY THE TIME YOU SMELL SMOKE, IT'S TOO LATE TO PREPARE STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO PROTECT OUR HOME.
ADDING TO WHAT THE JUDGE SAID, INCLUDE CLEANING GUTTERS.
KEEP TO KEEP THEM FREE OF SOMETHING THAT COULD BE FLAMMABLE, THE DEBRIS THAT COULD BE FLAMMABLE.
ANOTHER ONE IS COVERING ANY OPEN VENTS WITH METAL SCREENS TO CREATE A BARRIER FROM EMBERS.
AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR LANDSCAPING, ELIMINATING DRY VEGETATION CLOSE TO THE HOME AND KEEP YOUR GRASS, YOUR GRASS MOWED CLOSE TO THE HOME.
THE JUDGE ALSO SAID THERE'S MORE INFORMATION UNDER THE PROTECT YOUR HOME TAB.
IT'S A TAB ON THE WILDFIRE COALITION WEBSITE, WHICH AGAIN IS WILDFIRE COALITION.ORG.
ANDY POINTED OUT, AND HE'S ACCURATE.
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YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 TO SET UP A FREE PERSONALIZED HOME IGNITION ZONE EVALUATION.AND PLEASE, EVERYONE, EVERYONE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW SIGNS SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE YOU, YOU SIGN, YOU ACTUALLY SIGN UP, YOU KNOW THE SIGNS, BUT YOU ACTUALLY WANNA SIGN UP SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE EMERGENCY MESSAGES ABOUT WILDFIRE.
EVERY TIME WE ALL GET TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT DISASTERS OR EMERGENCIES, THAT SORT OF THING, WE TE WE ASK PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT AND UNDERLINE IT AND PUT IT IN BOLD.
PLEASE SIGN UP SO THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO YOU.
IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY@WARNCENTRALTEXAS.ORG, WARN WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE A WAY FOR YOU TO GET SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP PREVENT WILDFIRES IS BY BEING AWARE OF THE CURRENT WILDFIRE DANGER RATING, WHICH YOU CAN ALSO FIND@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG.
AND BE FI FAMILIAR WITH THE NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATING SYSTEM.
YOU'LL SEE SIGNS IN FRONT OF AUSTIN FIRE STATIONS AND OFTEN AT PARKS ON SEVERE WEATHER DAYS.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SIGN UP FOR THOSE ALERTS AGAIN@WARRENCENTRALTEXAS.ORG AND THAT WILL ENSURE THAT YOU'RE BETTER KEPT INFORMED.
THE COUNTY HAS MANY PROGRAMS, AS DOES THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO MITIGATE WILDFIRES, INCLUDING PRESCRIBED FIRES OR WHAT ARE KNOWN AS PRESCRIBED BURNS.
YOU MAY NOTICE THE PUBLIC MAY NOTICE THAT THESE PRESCRIBED BURNS ARE TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS PART OF LAND MAN, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT TOOL.
WE WANT THE JUDGE AND I AND ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND US WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE A PRESCRIBED BURN AND NOT CALL 9 1 1 IF THEY SEE ONE.
DOING SO CAN OVERWHELM THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
AUSTIN FIRE AND THE CITY'S HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE WILL BE DOING OUTREACH TO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON PRESCRIBED BURNS, INCLUDING INFORMATION AGAIN ON READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
JUDGE BROWN AND I, OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS THAT WE CAN'T PROTECT AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY FROM WILDFIRE WITHOUT YOU THE PUBLIC.
SO PLEASE BE PREPARED, BE AWARE AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
ONCE AGAIN, IMPORTANT WEBSITES TO KNOW ARE READY, CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG AND WILDFIRE COALITION.ORG.
WE HAVE A NUMBER, MANY EXPERTS HERE IN THE, THAT ARE IN THE FIELD OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THEY'RE HERE WITH US TODAY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY MAY HAVE.
AND NOW WHAT I'LL DO, UM, IS OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO DIRECT QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF TALENTED FIRST RESPONDERS BACK HERE.
WELL THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND UM, ANYBODY SAY SOMETHING.
ALRIGHT, MR. ROGER, APPRECIATE YOUR AWARENESS.
MAKE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR ALERTS.