[00:00:04]
[Austin Wildfire Prevention News Conference on May 8, 2026.]
THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.UM, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A WILDFIRE PRESS CONFERENCE ON A WEEK WHERE IT'S RAINY.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE POINT, IS THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE EVEN WHEN IT, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE PREPARING.
UM, THE MAYOR AND I HAVE GIVEN THE SAME PRESS CONFERENCE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.
IT'S SO FAR, GENERALLY BEEN WORKING, I THINK.
UM, BUT I'M HOPING AT SOME POINT MAYBE WE CAN BRING LIKE A GRILL TO DEMONSTRATE SPARKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
BUT, UM, I DO WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US FOR, UH, WHAT IS A VERY SERIOUS TOPIC FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY IN OUR REGION.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO GET SOME RAIN OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BUT THAT MEANS ALSO THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE VEGETATION GROWING SO IT COULD, YOU KNOW, DRY OUT AND BECOME A FIRE HAZARD LATER ON IN THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER MONTHS.
UH, WE'VE ALSO SEEN OUR WEATHER JUST INTENSIFY YEAR AFTER YEAR 'CAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE ARE FULLY PREPARED AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PREVENT FIRES.
UM, 2026 HAS ALREADY SEEN 19 FIRES THAT HAVE BURNED OVER 1800 ACRES IN CENTRAL TEXAS ALONE.
AND IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE FIRES THIS SUMMER.
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, MOST WILDFIRES ARE COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE.
THEY'RE STARTED EVERY DAY BY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
AND HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, I'VE SEEN A WILDFIRE START BECAUSE A DRIVER DIDN'T PROPERLY SECURE A METAL CHAIN THAT DRAGGED ON THE PAVEMENT AND CREATED A SPARK AND CREATED A FIRE.
UM, SAME KIND OF THING HAPPENS WITH LAWNMOWERS, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE, AS IT DRIES OUT THE SUMMER, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
THEY SEEM OBVIOUS, BUT PEOPLE STILL DO THEM.
SO NEVER THROW OUT A LIT CIGARETTE FROM THE WINDOW OF A CAR OR A TRUCK.
CHECK TRAILER CHAINS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT DRAGGING THEM ON THE PAVEMENT.
AND DON'T PARK YOUR CAR ON DRY GRASS OR DRIVE THROUGH TALL GRASS, ESPECIALLY DURING DROUGHT AND DRY MONTHS.
SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS FROM MESSAGES ON SEVERE WEATHER LIKE WILDFIRE, UH, FROM WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING THE ALERTS TO SEE WHAT THE WILDFIRE RATING IS.
WHEN FIRE DANGER IS HIGH, ANY SPARK COULD START A FIRE.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ESPECIALLY OUT IN THE COUNTY, UH, BEING CAREFUL WITH THE FOLLOWING THINGS.
IF YOU'RE BURNING TRASH OR DEBRIS WHEN THERE'S NOT A BURN BAND, LIKE THERE IS NOT RIGHT NOW, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'VE TAKEN ALL THE RIGHT PRECAUTIONS IF YOU'RE SETTING OFF FIREWORKS, UM, WHICH ARE ALWAYS ILLEGAL IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, BUT IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE COUNTY AROUND THE 4TH OF JULY, MAKE SURE YOU'RE BEING CAREFUL.
UH, IF YOU'RE DOING WORK LIKE WELDING, CUTTING AND GRINDING WITH METAL, THAT CREATES SPARKS.
AND USING OUTDOOR FIREPLACES AND FIRE PITS, AVOIDING AVOID PUTTING YOUR GAS OR CHARCOAL GRILL ON, ON GRASS AND DRY AREAS THAT COULD BURN.
UM, WE GOTTA DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP PROTECT EACH OTHER AND ALSO PROTECT THE LIVES OF FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE DON'T WANNA CREATE FIRES THAT PUT THEIR LIVES IN DANGERS IN DANGER EITHER.
SO AS YOU DO YOUR PART, TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE GONNA DO THEIR PART TO HELP KEEP YOU INFORMED.
THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL WILL ALWAYS ADVISE US SCIENTIFICALLY BASED ON DRYNESS, BASED ON RAIN, THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE HAVE A BURN BAN OR DON'T.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT BURN BANS.
AND IF CONDITIONS GET SEVERE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS THE CITY AND STATE PARTNERS THAT THEY WORK WITH, WE'LL GET TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE RESPONDING CORRECTLY.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, LAST THING, SIGN UP FOR WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT, AND I RIGHT NOW, I'LL PASS IT ON TO AUSTIN MAYOR KIRK WATSON.
WE, UM, WE DO THIS FREQUENTLY AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO DOING IT FREQUENTLY, IN PART BECAUSE IT'S THAT IMPORTANT AND IT, IT BEARS REPEATING BECAUSE WE GET BUSY WITH OUR LIVES, WE GET BUSY WITH NEW THINGS, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE MAY NOT BE PAYING ATTENTION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE YEAR AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
SO AS HE INTRODUCED ME, I'M KIRK WATSON.
I'M THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND I WANNA SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE ATTENDANCE AND THE ATTENTION AS WE SHARE.
AGAIN, THIS VITALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
MAY IS WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH, MAY IS WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE GOOD REASON, AS THE JUDGES POINTED OUT, THE WEATHER IS ALREADY STARTING TO WARM UP.
THE RAIN WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IS DEFINITELY HELPING.
BUT AS HE'S POINTED OUT, IT ALSO HAS THE, UH, COUNTER EFFECT, IF YOU WILL, OF GROWING MORE VE VEGETATION, WHICH IS FRANKLY MORE FUEL FOR FIRE.
AND WE ARE STILL IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
WE KNOW THAT TEXAS SUMMERS ALWAYS MEAN THE VERY REAL THREAT OF WILDFIRE.
AND I'LL JUST SAY IT, UH, OTHERS
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HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.WHEN I'M LAYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT KEEP ME AWAKE AT NIGHT IS THE, THE, THE FEAR OF WILDFIRE AND WHAT THAT CAN MEAN.
AS JUDGE BROWN HAS SAID, AND WE'VE EXPERIENCED VERY, VERY VIVIDLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THIS WEATHER IS INTENSIFYING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PREPARE FOR OUR EMERGENCIES.
WE'RE SEEING HOTTER SUMMERS, LONGER DROUGHTS, AND MORE FREQUENT WINDY DAYS, WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE HIGHER RISK OF WILDFIRE.
IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR US HERE IN AUSTIN TO BE AWARE AND BE PREPARED.
THE REASON I STAY AWAKE AT NIGHT IS AUSTIN RANKS THIRD IN THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF HOMES AT RISK FOR WILDFIRE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME WHY THAT'S THE CASE.
PART OF THE ANSWER IS THAT THE AUSTIN AREA CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE HIGH POPULATION GROWTH.
MANY NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT, AND WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE OR WOOEY, AND I MUST ADMIT, THE FIRST TIME I HEARD WOOEY, I THOUGHT THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T WORK.
BUT IT'S CALLED THE WOOEY, THE WILDLIFE WHAT, I'M SORRY.
THAT IS THE ZONE OF TRANSITION OR INTERFACE BETWEEN UNOCCUPIED, LAND AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S WHERE BUILDINGS MEET UNDEVELOPED LAND LIKE FORESTS AND FIELDS AND HIGH GRASS.
MORE THAN 90% OF WILDFIRES ARE CAUSED BY PEOPLE OR INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE POWER LINES.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE RAPID GROWTH IN HOMES BEING BUILT IN THAT ZONE OF TRANSITION INCREASES THE WILDFIRE RISK TO LIVES, HOMES, AND BUSINESSES.
REMEMBER, FLAMES ARE NOT THE MAIN WAY THAT FIRES SPREAD DURING A WILDFIRE.
EMBERS FROM THE BURNING CAN TRAVEL MORE THAN A MILE FROM THEIR SOURCE, AND THE EMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF HOME IGNITIONS.
SO WHETHER YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY OR YOU LIVE DOWNTOWN, OR EVERY ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN, WILDFIRE COULD AFFECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
FIRE DANGER IN CENTRAL TEXAS IS UNIQUE WITH OUR UNIQUE VEGETATION, OUR TOPOGRAPHY, AND OUR CLIMATE.
OUR WILDFIRE RISK IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT HERE.
SO AS THE JUDGES INDICATED, CHECK OUT, READY, SET, GO@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG FOR GUIDANCE THAT IS SPECIFIC FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
READY, SET, GO@WILDFIRECOALITION.ORG AND YOU'LL FIND SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FOR TRAVIS COUNTY AND AUSTIN.
WE HAVE EXPERTS HERE TODAY THAT ARE, UH, WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES TO FIGHTING AND PREVENTING FIRES, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME MORE IMPORTANT TIPS AND INFORMATION FROM THEM IN A SECOND.
BEFORE I TURN THAT MICROPHONE OVER, THOUGH, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE EVERYONE YOU KNOWS SIGNS UP TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY MESSAGES ABOUT WILDFIRE WITH SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW BY GOING TO WARN WARN WARN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG.
WE CAN'T PROTECT TEXAS FROM WILDFIRE WITHOUT ALL OF YOU.
PLEASE BE PREPARED, BE AWARE AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
AND NOW I'M GONNA INVITE JIM REDDICK, AUSTIN'S DIRECTOR OF, OF CITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS JIM REDDICK AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT AMERICANS KNOW THAT DISASTERS CAN HAPPEN WHERE THEY LIVE, BUT FAR FEWER TAKES THE STEPS TO PREPARE.
AND SO THAT SPACE BETWEEN AWARENESS AND ACTION IS, IS WHERE RISK LIVES.
AND SO OUR JOB IS TO ADDRESS THAT RISK TOGETHER.
SO YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD OF SOME RESOURCES I WANT TO MENTION ONE THAT'S, THAT'S BRAND NEW.
ONE IS AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/EM PLANS AS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANS, YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WILDFIRE THREAT.
OUR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS THERE, AND WE'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT.
YOU WANNA KNOW HOW WE AND THE HEROES BEHIND ME AND YOU AND THE COMMUNITY ARE GONNA RESPOND.
OUR HAZARD, OUR, OUR, OUR BASIC PLAN, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ALL HAZARDS BASIC PLAN IS THERE WITH TIPS TO THE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND WHAT WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO AS PART OF THIS TEAM EFFORT.
YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WOO WE IS? YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN IS? IT'S THERE.
I WAS GONNA MAKE A RAGU REFERENCE.
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YEAH, RIGHT.SO WE'RE, AGAIN, WE BUILD THESE PLANS TOGETHER.
WE'RE ONE COMMUNITY, ONE TEAM, ONE PLAN.
AND SO WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THE WORST, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA RESPOND IF THAT COMES OUR WAY.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU REVIEW THE PLANS BECAUSE DURING THE, DURING THE WILDFIRE EVACUATION IS NOT THE TIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
YOU WANNA KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA BE NOTIFIED.
MAKE SURE YOU GET NOTIFIED WHEN THAT WILDFIRE THREAT COMES TO YOUR DOORSTEP.
SO DO REGISTER@WARRENCENTRALTEXAS.GOV.
AND ALSO FINALLY, UM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T OPT OUT OF THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS.
WE KNOW TEXAS IS NUMBER ONE AND OPTING OUT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THE THE SAYING THAT WE HAVE IS IF WE CAN'T CONTACT YOU, WE CAN'T ALERT YOU FOR THE WILDFIRE THREAT OR ANY OTHER LIFE SAFETY ISSUES THAT COMES YOUR WAY.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY FRIEND AND AND COLLEAGUE WITH TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
I'M THE CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, YOU HEARD A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, UH, THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE AND PREVENT WILDFIRES.
I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT AND EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP PREPARE YOURSELF, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HARDEN YOUR HOME TO WILDFIRE.
ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO YOUR HOME DURING A WILDFIRE, AS THE MAYOR SAID, IS TRAVELING EMBERS.
EMBERS CAN TRAVEL UP TO A MILE FROM THEIR ORIGINATION POINT BY HARDENING YOUR HOME, YOU MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR EMBERS THAT LAND ON YOUR ON OR NEAR YOUR HOME TO ACTUALLY START A FIRE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT YOUR HOME AND THE PREPAREDNESS AROUND YOUR HOME IN THREE WAYS.
ZONE ONE IS, IM IS IMMEDIATELY UP TO YOUR HOME.
ZONE TWO, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT 30 TO A HUNDRED FEET.
AND THEN ZONE THREE, IF YOUR PROPERTY IS THAT LARGE, UH, IS TO GO OUT A HUNDRED TO 200 FEET IN ZONE ONE THAT'S ADJACENT TO YOUR HOME, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT, MAKE SURE AND LOOK AROUND THAT THE AREA IS WELL IRRIGATED, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH RISK AND HIGH DANGER TIMES.
UH, TAKE THAT OPPOR, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO, TO MANAGE THE VEGETATION AROUND THAT, THAT IN THAT ZONE, REMOVE ANY CLUTTER AND DEBRIS THAT CAN IGNITE.
AGAIN, NOT BECAUSE THERE'S A FIRE ON YOUR PROPERTY, BUT THERE MAY BE A FIRE IN THE WOOEY IN THE, IN THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE THAT PUSHES EMBERS TO YOU AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE NOT AT HOME.
AND THEN YOUR HOME IS EXPOSED AND THEN YOU'RE IN, IT CATCHES FIRE.
UM, AGAIN, UH, IT SHOULD BE SAID, MOW YOUR LAWN REGULARLY.
PRUNE TREES SO THAT THE LOWEST LIMBS ARE AT LEAST SIX TO 10 FEET FROM THE GROUND.
LOOKING OUT A LITTLE FURTHER FROM YOUR HOME ZONE TWO, THAT 30 TO A HUNDRED FOOT SPACE AROUND YOUR HOME PLANTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE LOW GROWING, WELL IRRIGATED AND, UH, IF POSSIBLE, SPACED 30 FEET BETWEEN CLUSTERS.
WHY? IF, IF THEY HAPPEN TO IGNITE, IT'LL, IT'LL MINIMIZE THE ABILITY FOR THAT FIRE TO CARRY ZONE THREE, THAT 102 HUNDRED FOOT SPACE, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE THAT RANGE, THIS AREA SHOULD BE THINNED OUT AS WELL.
THE LESS SPACE IS REQUIRED BETWEEN CLUSTERS, AS I, AS I MENTIONED IN ZONE TWO FOR OTHER TIPS, LOOK UNDER, PROTECT YOUR HOME ON THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY WILDFIRE COALITION WEBSITE, OR CONTACT THEIR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR A FREE PERSONALIZED HOME IGNITION ZONE EVALUATION.
UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ALL RESIDENTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY IF THEY WORK WITH THEIR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE TAKE THESE PRECAUTIONS AND BE PREPARED.
IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO, AND I'M SURE MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE 67 BRUSH, 67 ACRE BRUSH FIRE JUST EAST OF PFLUGERVILLE IN JULY OF 22.
THANKFULLY, ESD TWO AND TRAVIS COUNTY STAR FLIGHT TEAMS STOPPED THAT FIRE FROM WORSENING.
BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT MORE WILDFIRES FROM IGNITING JUST LIKE THAT ONE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'LL HAND IT OFF NOW TO THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MY NAME IS DAVID SCOURER AND I SERVE AS THE DIVISION CHIEF OVER AUSTIN FIRE'S WILDFIRE DIVISION.
MY DIVISION INCLUDES FIRE PERSONNEL WHO SPECIALIZE IN FIGHTING WILDFIRES.
THIS REQUIRES EXTENSIVE AND ONGOING TRAINING, PRECISE TACTICS AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING TRAINING AND RESPONDING TO THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE TRAINING THAT EVERY AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER UNDERGOES AUSTIN FIRE DEDICATES SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO PREPARING FOR AND, UH, AND FIGHTING WILDFIRES.
BUT THE MOST VALUABLE STEP IN IS PREVENTION.
AND THAT IS WHERE OUR COMMUNITY COMES IN.
HARDENING THE FIRST FIVE FEET AROUND YOUR HOME, ALSO KNOWN AS THE EMBER IGNITION ZONE, OR EIZ, IS YOUR FIRST
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LINE OF DEFENSE IF WILDFIRE BREAKS OUT, THIS IS BECAUSE EMBERS FROM A A FIRE CAN TRAVEL UP TO AND MORE THAN A MILE, MEANING THAT YOU CAN BE WELL AWAY FROM THE FLAME FRONT, BUT STILL AT RISK.THERE'S SIMPLE STEPS TO TAKE RIGHT NOW.
CLEAR GUTTERS, BRUSH AND DEBRIS FROM AROUND YOUR HOME.
TRIM BRANCHES AT LEAST 10 FEET FROM YOUR ROOF LINE.
KEEP GRASS SHORT AND WATER WHEN POSSIBLE.
MOVE FLAMMABLES, INCLUDING FIREWOOD AND FURNITURE AT LEAST FIVE FEET AWAY FROM THE RESIDENCE.
COVER VENTS IN ATTIC SPACES AND OTHER OPENINGS WITH ONE EIGHTH WIRE MESH TO PROTECT STRUCTURES AGAINST EMBERS.
AND I ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE WILDFIRE TOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH AUSTIN FIRE AND THROUGH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.
LEARN ABOUT THE SPECIFIC WILDFIRE FIRE RISK, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR ADDRESS USING OUR INTERACTIVE MAP ON THE AUSTIN WILDFIRE HUB.
REQUEST A FREE STRUCTURE IGNITION ZONE EVALUATION, A SIZE THROUGH AUSTIN 3 1 1 OR ONLINE VIA THE AUSTIN WILDFIRE HUB OR THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY WILDFIRE COALITION COALITION WEBSITE.
DURING THE SIZE, A WILDFIRE ADVISOR WILL WALK THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR HOME, UH, YOUR BUSINESS OR MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY, TO PROVIDE PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE ABOUT HARDENING IT AGAINST WILDFIRE RISK.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY ALSO COMPLETE A DIY SIZE EVALUATION USING OUR TOOL ON THE WILDFIRE HUB.
FOR THOSE WITH A GREEN THUMB, AUSTIN FIRE OFFERS A VEGETATION GUIDE WITH PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MINIMIZE WILDFIRE RISK.
THIS IS AVAILABLE ON THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE WEBPAGE.
THE AUSTIN WILD AUSTIN FIRE WILDFIRE DIVISION CAN ALSO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO HELP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WORK TOWARD BECOMING AN OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED FIRE ADAPTED OR FIREWISE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER STEP TO BE TAKEN TO HARDEN OUR COMMUNITY AGAINST WILDFIRE RISK.
THE IMPORTANT AND VITAL MESSAGE TODAY IS TO JUST GET STARTED AND TAKE THESE ACTIONS.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO CHIEF PERKINS OF ESD TWO.
I'M FIRE CHIEF AT TRAVIS COUNTY ESD NUMBER TWO.
UH, SO AGAIN, WANTED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING, UH, ON THIS CONCEPT OF PREPAREDNESS.
SO WE'RE ENJOYING THE, THE RAIN, THE COOLER WEATHER.
THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET OUT AND BEGIN WORKING ON PROTECTING YOUR HOME OR WHAT WE'VE BEEN CALLING HARDENING YOUR HOME.
UH, SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAINTAINING YOUR ZONES.
UH, WE, UH, CHIEF SCOTT RON JUST MENTIONED, UM, PROTECTING YOUR, YOUR GUTTERS.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE CLEANING AND SCREENING YOUR VENTS.
UM, THAT METAL MESH THAT WAS, UH, DESCRIBED THAT YOU CAN USE TO PROTECT YOUR GUTTERS AND YOUR VENTS CAN BE PURCHASED AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.
AND THERE'S ALSO SPECIALIZED MATERIAL THAT YOU CAN ORDER ONLINE.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, PREPARATION, YOU ALSO NEED TO HAVE A PLAN.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO RECEIVE INFORMATION AS WE'VE, AS WE'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS AND YOUR OTHER LOCAL ALERTING, UH, FORMATS THAT MAY EXIST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND THEN A KIT TO TAKE WITH YOU WHEN YOU NEED TO LEAVE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT ALL OF THE AGENCIES BEHIND YOU WORK TOGETHER ON A REGULAR BASIS TO TRAIN AND PREPARE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO RESPOND TO THESE EMERGENCIES.
SO ALL UH, ESD FIREFIGHTERS THROUGHOUT TRAVIS COUNTY ARE WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.
WE'RE TRAINED TO THE NATIONAL STANDARD, UH, SO WE CAN BE ALIGNED WITH OUR STATE AND NATIONAL PARTNERS.
WE NOW HAVE DOZERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, LOCALLY OWNED DOZERS THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY TRAVIS COUNTY ESDS.
WE HAVE FOUR OF THEM, TWO ON THE WEST SIDE, TWO ON THE EAST SIDE, COUPLED TOGETHER WITH OUR STAR FLIGHT PARTNERS, UH, AT THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS FIREFIGHTING FORCE THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR, UH, IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
BUT AGAIN, WE REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC'S ROLE IN THE FIGHT.
AND THAT'S THROUGH THAT PREPARATION.
THE MORE YOU CAN PREPARE YOUR HOME, THE MORE YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE FIREFIGHTER'S ABILITY TO RESPOND AND HANDLE THESE EMERGENCIES.
AND JUST WANNA GIVE A THANKS TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ESDS AND WE HAVE AUSTIN FIRE, BUT THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER IN WHEN RESPONDING.
THEY ALL HAVE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL ONE BIG EFFORT.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR, UH, ALSO FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP IN THIS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, ANYBODY ABOUT THE WILDFIRE RISK OR WHERE WE ARE? ALRIGHT.