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BUT I SAID THAT BE GOOD USE OF TEXT DOLLARS, WE'D HAVE HAD TO FIND YOU FOR THAT
I'M TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, THE WEATHER IS GREAT THIS MORNING.
IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT COOLER, REALLY NICE, NICE CHANGE, UH, BUT IT'S STILL VERY, VERY DRY.
AND THE FIRE RISK, THE RISK OF WILDFIRES REMAINS EXTREMELY HIGH AS A RESULT.
UM, FOLLOWING WHAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT DID, HE DECLARED A DISASTER FOR SEVERAL COUNTIES AROUND TEXAS BECAUSE OF THIS RISK I'VE ALSO SIGNED, I'M ALSO SIGNING A DISASTER DECLARATION, ALLOWING FOR TRAVIS COUNTY TO BETTER PREPARE SHOULD A WILDFIRE OCCUR.
LIKE WE SAW LAST WEEK, I'VE ALSO BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HAVE NOTIFIED THEM OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE TAKING.
UH, CHIEF KID HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MOST WILDFIRES ARE PREVENTABLE.
WILDFIRES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY BELIEVE THAT THEIR ACTIONS AREN'T DANGEROUS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE CAUSING WILDFIRES.
SO HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'VE SEEN A WILDFIRE STARTED BECAUSE A DRIVER DIDN'T HAVE A METAL CHAIN SECURELY ATTACHED, UH, TO THE TRUCK, AND IT DRAGGED ON THE PAVEMENT, AND THAT CREATED A SPARK AND THAT CREATED A WILDFIRE.
UM, WHEN FIRE DANGER IS HIGH, ANY LITTLE SPARK COULD START A FIRE AND BE A REAL DISASTER.
DON'T THROW CIGARETTES OUT YOUR WINDOW.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SAID THIS PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR.
UH, CHECK YOUR TRAIN THE TRAILER CHAINS TO AVOID DRAGGING THEM.
AVOID PARKING YOUR VEHICLE ON DRY GRASS OR DRIVING THROUGH TALL DRY GRASS, ESPECIALLY DURING A DRY PATCH LIKE WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING.
SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS AND MESSAGES ON SEVERE WEATHER LIKE WILDFIRE FROM WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE ARE ALSO UNDER A BURN BAN AS TRAVIS COUNTY.
THAT MEANS OUTDOOR BURNING OF TRASH IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF TRAVIS COUNTY IS NOT ALLOWED.
YOU SHOULD BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS WITH ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITY THAT COULD SPARK SOMETHING, INCLUDING WELDING, CUTTING AND GRINDING.
USING OUTDOOR FIREPLACE AND FIRE PITS CAN BE DANGEROUS.
UM, THAT ACTUALLY MAKES NO SENSE WHAT I JUST SAID.
USING FIRE PITS OUTSIDE CAN BE DANGEROUS, BUT IF YOU ARE USING THEM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE USING THEM CORRECTLY.
AVOID PLACING YOUR GAS OR CHARCOAL BARBECUE ON GRASS AND DO NOT THROW ASHES OUT UNTIL THEY'RE COMPLETELY COLD.
WE ALL PREPARE FOR THIS WILDFIRE RISK AND I WANT TO THANK OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICTS, THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, OUR TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL AND STAR FLIGHT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND AUSTIN.
THANK YOU JUDGE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, I'M MAYOR KIRK WATSON AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE ATTENDANCE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE'RE SHARING INFORMATION THAT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WILDFIRES DON'T RESPECT ANY JURISDICTIONAL LINES AS, AS JUDGE BROWN SHARED WITH YOU, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, UH, TODAY I AM SIGNING A DECLARATION AS WELL, SO THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS JOINING TRAVIS COUNTY IN ISSUING, AND I'M GONNA USE A WORD THAT JUDGE BROWN, I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT A WORD THAT JUDGE BROWN USED.
WE'RE ISSUING A PREEMPTIVE DISASTER DECLARATION SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO RESPOND AS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS IS POSSIBLE IN THE EVENT OF A WILDFIRE.
NOW, I'M GONNA ADMIT TO YOU THAT I DON'T CARE FOR THE VERNACULAR THAT GETS USED.
UH, THE, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS ISSUING A DISASTER DECLARATION WHEN WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A DISASTER RIGHT NOW, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE MAKINGS OF A DISASTER IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
WHAT THIS DECLARATION WILL HELP US DO IS AVOID A DISASTER AND TO BE READY TO RESPOND.
IF A FIRE SHOULD START, IT MEANS THAT WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE PRE-POSITIONING RESOURCES IN HIGH STAKES AREAS, WHICH IS ALREADY HAPPENING, AND INCREASING STAFFING ON SHIFTS SO THAT WE'RE READY 24 7 IN AUSTIN, WE ARE NOW AT 41 DAYS, 41 DAYS WITHOUT MEASURABLE RAINFALL, AND WE'RE ABOUT AS DRY AS DRY CAN BE.
MOST OF CENTRAL TEXAS IS IN DROUGHT, IF NOT SEVERE DROUGHT.
AND AS JUDGE BROWN SAID, BURN BANS ARE IN EFFECT BETWEEN THE DRY CONDITIONS AND WINDY
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DAYS.WE'RE IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION AND WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.
IN ORDER TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE, PLEASE TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND DURING THIS TIME, AVOID THE KIND OF ACTIVITIES THAT THE JUDGE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR CHIEF IN A MINUTE.
BUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS STAFFED UP AND OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER STANDS READY TO ACTIVATE SHOULD WE NEED TO.
IN FACT, THE EOC WILL BE ACTIVATED THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH AN INFLUX OF VISITORS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING FOR F1.
UH, THERE'S A FOOTBALL GAME, I'M TOLD.
UM, AND THI ALL THE OTHER DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON SOCCER GAME, JUST SOCCER GAME.
A SOCCER GAME, YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
FIRE DANGER IS IN CENTRAL TEXAS IS UNIQUE.
NOW, YOU MAY THINK, HOW CAN A FIRE BE UNIQUE? BUT WE HAVE UNIQUE VEGETATION, TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE, SO OUR WILDFIRE RISK IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT HERE.
PLEASE CHECK OUT READY, SET, GO@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG.
READY, SET, GO@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THERE'S ALSO MORE INFORMATION UNDER THE PROTECT YOUR HOME TAB ON THE WILDFIRE COALITION WEBSITE.
SAME SITE WILDFIRE COALITION.ORG.
BUT LOOK FOR PROTECT YOUR HOME TAB AND YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION PLEASE.
LET'S MAKE SURE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, SIGNS UP ALSO TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY MESSAGES ABOUT WILDFIRE.
THERE'LL BE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT WILL FOLLOW THE THAT, BUT GO TO WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
WARREN, WARN IF YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT MY ACCENT IS SAYING THERE, WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
WE ALSO, AS, AS WE JUST, WERE BANNERING HERE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN AUSTIN THIS WEEKEND, SO IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO GET WORD OUT FOR EVERYBODY, TO BE CAREFUL, TO BE VIGILANT AND TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE CHIEFS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS HERE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE'RE PROTECT PREPARED TO PROTECT OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY FROM WILDFIRES AND HELP HELPFUL TIPS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
BUT NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY COMMISSIONER JEFF ILIAN FROM TRAVIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE COMMISSIONER.
READY? SO LET ME JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT ONLY A GUY FROM BAYLOR WOULD NOT KNOW WHICH TOP FIVE TEAMS ARE PLAYING HERE THIS WEEKEND.
SO JUST JUST ONE POINT THAT OUT, THAT, THAT WAS A JOKE.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, IT IT'S TIME FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER AND BE VERY CAUTIOUS.
UH, MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SAY, AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 40 DAYS WITH, WITH MEASURABLE RAIN.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP OURSELVES.
WE DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT.
UH, WE, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BARBECUE THIS WEEKEND.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE COMMON SENSE THINGS THAT WILL KEEP US ALL SAFE.
WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A MAYOR WHO WORKS NOT ONLY, UH, WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE, BUT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR ESDS.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MANNER.
THEY TALK REGULARLY, THEY TRAIN TOGETHER, THEY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INFORMED THEY'RE DOING ALL OF THE RIGHT THINGS.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PLACES THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE.
WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
UH, ALSO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHICH JURISDICTION WE'RE IN.
FOR EXAMPLE, PRECINCT ONE HAS SUFFERED FROM SOME GRASS FIRES AND, AND FROM FIRES OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE WHAT IS ON THE GROUND, WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, AND THEN WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING, WE SAY SOMETHING.
IF WE ARE DRIVING AND WE SEE A FIRE SOMEWHERE, 9 1 1, MAKE SURE THAT YOU REPORT THAT INFORMATION.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS IF WE WORK TOGETHER, IF WE ARE CAUTIOUS, IF WE BECOME OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS KEEPER, THEN WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS.
WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS SEASON SAFELY,
[00:10:01]
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK AND ACT TOGETHER AND THAT WE PROTECT EACH OTHER.SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT WE MAKE THAT NINE ONE ONE CALL AND TELL 'EM THANK, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR COMING OUT AND I WANT TO THANK OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND, UH, AND KEEPING US SAFE.
AND I WILL BRING UP, YOU BRING UP, UH, YOU GOT IT.
UH, I, I WILL BRING UP, UH, MY FAVORITE AUSTIN FIRE CHIEF, UH, JOE BAKER.
WELL, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THIS PRE-EMPTED DISASTER DECLARATION AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT DISASTER DECLARATION COVERING 143 TRA TEXAS COUNTIES UNDERSCORE HOW SERIOUS AND WIDESPREAD THE WILDFIRE THREAT IS RIGHT NOW.
GRASS AND OTHER VEGETATION HAVE REACHED CRITICAL LEVELS OF DRYNESS, OF DRYNESS, MEANING THAT FIRES CAN SPARK EASILY AND SPREAD VERY QUICKLY.
EMBERS CAN TRAVEL UP TO 1.5 MILES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING PROPERTIES WELL AWAY FROM THE FLAMES ON THE CURRENT CONDITION.
THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING ITS PART IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER CITY AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO INCREASE FIRE PERSONNEL STAFFING IN HIGH RISK AREAS AND MOBILIZING RESOURCES FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED.
THAT IS ONE THAT IS ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THE POWER TO PREVENT FIRES BY PROPERLY DISPOSING OF SMOKING.
THAT MEANS NOT STORING CIGARETTES AND CIGARETTE OUT INTO THE ROAD OR, OR, OR ON THE GROUND AND STOMPING ON THEM.
IT ALSO MEAN OBEY THE CITY ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBIT OPEN FLAMES BURNING INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS UNLESS PERMITTED BY THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ARE NOT SIGNING OFF ON, IN, ON ANY PERMITS FOR OPEN BURNING.
FOR INDIVIDUAL WHO, WHO TOW A TRAILER, MAKE SURE THAT THE CHAINS ARE NOT DRAGGING ON THE GROUND, PARTICULARLY ON DRY AND WINDY DAYS.
IF YOU SEE SMOKE OR FLAMES, PLEASE CALL 9 1 1 IMMEDIATELY QUICK ACTION CAN PREVENT A SMALL FIRE FROM TURNING INTO A DISASTER.
THE CITY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MANDATE EVACUATION AND WE WILL UTILIZE THAT POWER.
IF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE FAIL AND WE BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE IN DANGER, YOUR SAFETY IS A PARAMOUNT PREPARE.
NOW, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN EVACUATION KIT READY THAT INCLUDE ESSENTIAL WATER, FOOD, MEDICATION, PET SUPPLIES, AND IMPORTANT DOCUMENT AS WELL AS A FLASHLIGHT.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THOSE YOU LIVE WITH ABOUT EVACUATION FAMILIAR.
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL OF THE ROUTES THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET OUT, IDENTIFY A MEANING, SPOT OR MEANING SPOTS AWAY FROM THE IMPACTED AREA, AND ESTABLISH HOW YOU WILL STAY IN CONTACT IN THE EVENT YOUR CELL PHONES ARE IMPACTED.
AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP FOR WARREN CENTRAL TESTING NOTIFICATION TO MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE ALERTS ABOUT EVACUATION AND OTHER CRITICAL INFORMATION.
IT TAKE ALL OF US DOING OUR PART, BUT TOGETHER WE CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF WIFI IN OUR AREA.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO CALL TO THE PODIUM, UH, CHIEF ABBOTT OF TRAVIS COUNTY ESD NUMBER SIX.
ON BEHALF OF THE 13 ESDS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IN ADDITION TO OUR PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, AS WE TACKLE WHAT WE TACKLE A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR, UH, WE WERE JOKING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAT IF ANYBODY'S VISITING THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS CITY AND COUNTY FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEKEND, THEY'RE GONNA THINK THIS IS OUR TEMPERATURES WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS A DAILY THING AND THEY'RE GONNA WANNA MOVE HERE.
AND WE KNOW AFTER WHAT WE'VE SUFFERED FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION TO ANYBODY THAT MAY BE VISITING THAT IT'S NECESSARILY THE SAFEST TIME TO BE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A SERIOUS WILD LAND CONCERN, UH, GIVEN THE TOPOGRAPHY THAT IS IN AND AROUND CENTRAL TEXAS IN ADDITION TO OUR WEATHER.
IN FACT, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY MOISTURE IN A LONG TIME.
THE LITTLE THAT WE DO IS VERY SMALL.
UH, AND AS THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE HAS MENTIONED, WE HAVE SOME VISITORS COMING IN.
WE HAVE BIG EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITIES, BUT WE ALSO ARE ON THE HEELS OF HUNTING SEASON IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE THE INCREASE OF UTVS ATVS AND AREAS
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AND SUBURBAN AREAS AS WELL.MANY FEEL THAT'S JUST, UH, RESERVED FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE U USE OF UTVS AND ATVS AND SUBURBAN AREAS ON HIKING BIKE TRAILS WHERE THEY'RE NORMALLY NOT ALLOWED.
SO WE ASK THE HOAS TO STEP UP, HELP US ENFORCE THE RULES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE HOAS TO KEEP MOTORIZED VEHICLES OFF TRAILS AND OUT OF PARKS.
AN IDLING UTV OR A TV CAN START A FIRE VERY, VERY EASILY.
AS IT'S MENTIONED, DRAGGING CHAINS CAN AS WELL.
IN PREPARATION FOR ALL THE RESPONSE, WE HAVE STOOD UP THE COUNTY RESOURCE COORDINATION PROGRAM.
THIS IS WHERE WE DEDICATE A FULL-TIME RESOURCE PERSON TO ALLOCATE ALL THE RESOURCES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR COMM UH, DISPATCH CENTER.
THAT WAY WE'RE MAKE, WE'RE SENDING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CALLS.
WE DO NOT WANNA UNDER ASSIGN RESOURCES TO A CALL.
WE ALSO DO NOT WANT TO OVER ASSIGN RESOURCES TO, UH, RESOURCES TO A CALL.
AS OFTEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE CALLS GOING ON IN THE CITY AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER SMALLEST CITIES THAT, UH, REPRESENT TRAVIS COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY, AS YOU'VE HEARD, WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
YOU'LL GET FREE ALERTS, UH, INTO THAT.
ALSO, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE EXCEPT WHEN THE FIRE'S BEHIND YOUR HOUSE TO START HAVING A DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
CREATE A DEFENSIBLE SPACE AROUND YOUR HOME.
TODAY, TOMORROW, OVER THE WEEKEND, TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO MOVE FLAMMABLE THINGS AWAY FROM YOUR HOME, OFF YOUR DECK.
UH, START TAKING THINGS YOU FORGOT ABOUT STORING IN THEIR BACKYARD, AWAY FROM FENCE LINES AND AWAY FROM VEGETATION.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE MAGNETS TO SPARKS AND EMBERS, UH, AND THAT CAN EXTEND TO YOUR HOMES.
ALL OF THE COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY HAVE A FREE HOME RISK ASSESSMENT THAT WE CAN CONDUCT.
I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BANG OUT 300 OF 'EM THIS WEEKEND, BUT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO, UH, OUR CONSTITUENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE SMALL CITIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THE UNINCORPORATED S AS WELL.
I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO BILL WILSON, THE HOMELAND SECURITY INTERIM DIRECTOR.
I'M BILL WILSON, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UH, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT AND EXPERIENCING CLIMATE IMPACTS.
THIS MEANS WE HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE PREPARE FOR DISASTERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME BETTER? I'LL START FROM THE BEGINNING.
I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UH, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT AND EXPERIENCING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS.
THIS MEANS WE HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE PREPARE FOR ALL DISASTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT ALSO MEANS YOU HAVE TO PREPARE AND WE THE CITY ARE PREPARING AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO WILDFIRE RISK THIS WEEKEND, WE ALSO HAVE A BUSY FALL EVENT SEASON.
WE EXPECT ABOUT 250,000 PEOPLE ON OR NEAR THE CAMPUS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS VERSUS GEORGIA FOOTBALL GAME.
AND THERE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE TAILGATING GRILLING AS PART OF THEIR GAME TIME CELEBRATIONS.
NEARLY 400,000 FORMULA ONE FANS.
WE'LL GO TO THE CODA GROUNDS THIS WEEKEND WITH CARS AND CAMPERS AND BE NEAR DRY GRASS.
WE ALSO HAVE BIG CONCERTS AT THE MOODY CENTER THIS WEEKEND, AND WE HAVE A SOLD OUT GAME AT Q2 STADIUM.
THIS MEANS OUR CITY WILL BE FILLED WITH THOUSANDS OF VISITORS THAT MAY NOT BE USED TO THE DRY CLIMATE WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING TO PREPARE FOR THESE EVENTS.
OUR OFFICE IS WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES AND WE ALSO HAVE THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER STAFF THIS WEEKEND.
IF THERE IS A DISASTER, WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV SLASH ALERTS WITH CRITICAL EMERGENCY INFORMATION AND PREPARE FOR AND FOR CITIZENS TO PREPARE FOR DISASTERS BEFORE A DISASTER HITS.
PLEASE GO TO READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG FOR DIRECTIONS.
WITH THAT, I'LL BE TURNING IT OVER TO ERIC CARTER FROM TRAVIS COUNTY OEM.
I'M THE CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I'LL, I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD MESSAGES TODAY.
IT'LL BE DRY FOR THE COMING WEEKS.
ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER TODAY IS GORGEOUS, IT'S COOL.
THE GROUND IS DRY, THE FINE FUELS ARE DRY.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE? RIGHT? AS A, AS A RESIDENT, PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION TO GET THE WARNINGS AND ALERTS THAT COME OUT.
YOU HEARD WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
ALSO, THERE'S OTHER APPS OUT THERE.
WEATHER SERVICE, YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.
BUT MAKE SURE, SURE YOU PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO GET THE ALERTS AND THE WARNINGS THAT YOUR FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES HAVE TO PUSH OUT TO YOU.
IF WE HAVE A BAD DAY, ALSO HAVE A PLAN.
RIGHT? KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA, UH, IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME IN A HURRY, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA MEET YOUR FAMILY.
THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT TIPS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.
AND I DON'T NEED TO GO OVER 'EM CONSTANTLY.
WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
EVERYBODY JUST, UH, I NEED YOU TO TAKE, TAKE HEAT TO WHAT YOU'RE HEARING TODAY, NOT JUST BACK HERE.
YOU SEE IN THE AGE, IN THE, IN THE CROWD BEHIND YOU.
THERE'S A LOT OF AGENCIES HERE
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'CAUSE THEY'RE SUPPORTING THIS MESSAGE.WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S THAT IT'S A KIND OF TENDER TIME NOT TO BE A LITTLE BIT HUMOROUS THERE, RIGHT? IT, THE, THE, THE, THE FUELS ARE TENDER, SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TAKE CARE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA SAY THANK YOU AND THEN I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JUDGE BROWN TO CLOSE US UP.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH AND THIS NICE TRUCK BEHIND US.
I WANNA THANK, UH, FIREFIGHTER RUSS FROM THE WESTLAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING IT OVER HERE TODAY.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE NOW.
UM, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC AREAS IN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT ARE UM, HIGHER AT HIGHER RISK? YES, UH, SPEED OR THERE YOU GO.
AND THE QUESTION WAS, IS THERE ANY AREAS IN TRAVIS COUNTY SPECIFICALLY THAT ARE HIGHER RISK? YEAH.
UH, I WOULD SAY DEPENDING ON THE TOPOGRAPHY IS ONE OF THE LEADING, LEADING THOUGHTS WE WOULD HAVE.
IF YOU'RE IN SOME PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY WHERE IT'S FLAT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF FINER FUELS.
A LIGHTER FUELS, BUT YOU GOT QUITE A BIT OF THEM.
'CAUSE IT'S STILL IN VERY MANY ASPECTS OF RURAL COMMUNITY.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEST SIDE OF, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, STEEP INCLINES.
FIRES DO INCREASE UP A STEEP INCLINE FASTER THAN THEY DO DOWN.
UM, AND THERE'S ALSO WHAT WE CALL THE WOOEY OR THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE, WHICH MOST OF TRAVIS COUNTY HAS PORTIONS OF.
THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITIES BUTT UP AGAINST WILDLAND PRESERVE LAND, PARK LAND OR JUST PRIVATELY OWNED LAND THAT IS HIGHLY VEGETATED AND CREATES, UH, A CONCERN WHEN THERE'S A FIRE THERE.
SO THE, THE RISK REALLY FOR THE WEST PART OF TRAVIS COUNTY IS ON THE SLOPED AREAS WHERE THERE'S, UH, ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN FOR US IN THOSE AREAS.
AND NOW IF YOU GO TO WEST PART OR THE SOUTHWEST, SOUTHEAST PARTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, THEY'RE FLATTER.
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE OPEN RANGE.
IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FUEL.
UH, ALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE PREPARED TO TACKLE THOSE TYPES OF INCIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OR THE THE EAST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE.
UH, BUT IS THERE ONE PARTICULARLY THAT'S HIGHER? THE WHOLE COUNTY'S A RISK RIGHT NOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE SUMMER WAS KIND OF WET AND THEN NOW SUDDENLY IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DRY, DRY, DRY AND THERE'S THIS HUGE RISK.
ARE WE DRIER THAN WE NORMALLY ARE IN THE FALL? CAN ANYONE SPEAK TO THAT? YOU KNOW, I WAS BLAMING BURTON FITZSIMMONS BACK THERE FOR THE LACK OF RAIN, UH, EARLIER, BUT, UH, YES.
WHERE'S OUR FARM MARSHAL? I THINK HE'S, WE BACK IN THERE.
SO WHAT THE EARLY SEASON MOISTURE DID WAS CAUSE A PROFUSION OF FINE FUELS OR GRASSES TO COME UP.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING US MOVING INTO A WINTER FIRE SEASON.
ONCE WE HAVE OUR FIRST HARD FREEZE, THE GRASS ISN'T GONNA COME BACK.
SO NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE AS THESE COLD FRONTS MOVE IN, EVERY TIME WE HAVE A COLD FRONT, WE HAVE LOTS OF GRASS AND FUEL READY TO BURN.
UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF AN IGNITION.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY BE RESPONSIBLE THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE IT ONLY TAKES ONE SPARK TO CREATE A A CATASTROPHE.
YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH OF FUEL AND THEN 41 DAYS OF NO MEASURE.
RIGHT? SO LOT, LOT OF GROWTH OF FUEL AND THEN IT ALL DRIES OUT.
UM, ARE THERE ANY ACTIVE, UM, OR I GUESS ARE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVELY WORKING ON LIKE BRUSH MANAGEMENT, UM, TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE LIKE VIRUS RISKS OR, OR WHAT IS ARE THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS DOING TO KIND OF MITIGATE THESE FIRE RISKS? UM, IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, WE FORMED A WILDFIRE COALITION.
THAT COALITION IS A PARTNERSHIP OF AGENCIES ACROSS JURISDICTIONS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK.
SO OUR LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES ARE ACTIVELY OUT THERE REDUCING FUELS ON THE LANDSCAPE TO PROTECT OUR WILD LANDS AND COMMUNITIES.
IN THE MEANTIME, OUR RESIDENTS ARE PREPARING THEIR HOMES AND HARDENING STRUCTURES.
SO WHEN THE INEVITABLE WILDFIRE DOES OCCUR, WE HAVE ACTION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE.
SO THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, COORDINATED ACROSS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
IN THE PAST WITH F1 COMING IN, I KNOW I'VE HEARD EAST AND SOUTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY IS ONE OF THE WORST AREAS FOR WILDFIRES WITH F1 IN THAT AREA.
HAVE Y'ALL IN THE PAST SEEN AN INCREASE IN WILDFIRES, BRUSH FIRES, INCIDENTS? YOU MEAN SPECIFICALLY WITH WHEN F1 IS HERE OR JUST IN? I KNOW I EITHER ENTER IT EITHER WAY.
I THINK LAST SUMMER WE HAD A WILDFIRE EAST OFF 9 6 9.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT WAS TIME COINCIDED WITH F1 AS FAR AS I REMEMBER.
DOES ANYONE ELSE, HE'S SAYING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT, YEAH, HE'S SAYING WE HAVEN'T SEEN A SPIKE.
SO NO, I THINK THE ANSWER WOULD BE NO, I HAVEN'T, NO, NO SPIKES RELATING TO F1.