Reducing Wildfire Risk Together
Protecting our community from wildfires is everyone's responsibility.
As Austin contends with a warming and drying climate, the risk that wildfire poses to life, property and public resources like Austin Water's Wildlands is likely to increase. As more structures are built along the wildland boundary, we need to work as a community to understand wildfire risks and the most effective approaches for protecting our homes and landscapes.
In 2014, Austin and Travis County developed and adopted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan based on Texas A&M Forest Service guidelines. The plan addresses wildland restoration and management, the creation of wildfire-adapted communities and a risk-based approach to wildfire preparedness.
Understanding Our Roles
The greatest risk to homes during a wildfire is often not direct ignition from burning vegetation, but from airborne embers lofted by the wind that can travel great distances and settle in gutters, eaves and other vulnerable spots. These embers can linger and threaten homes long after the fire has passed. Homes and landscapes can be designed and maintained to reduce the likelihood of ember ignition. The choice of structural materials and the plants near your home are the first line of defense.
As managers of preserves protecting endangered and rare species that depend on juniper-oak woodlands, we will do everything possible to minimize wildfire risk. Homeowners can also take steps to minimize loss:
- Check eaves, walls and foundations for gaps where embers can enter
- Clear gutters and downspouts
- Ensure vent and window screens are intact
- Leave space between outside walls and vegetation
- Consider fire-resistant roofing, decking and fencing materials when building or remodeling
- Avoid clear-cutting heavily treed areas — this often results in grassland that is more prone to fire
- Properly dispose of dead branches and dry leaves; never dump these materials on wildlands
- Respect property boundaries — cutting vegetation on the wildlands is illegal
For guidance on reducing wildfire risk on your property, contact Austin Fire's Wildfire Division or your local emergency service district.
Local fire departments work with land managers at the City of Austin and Travis County to reduce wildfire risk where wildlands border development. While mature juniper-oak woodland does not burn readily under most conditions, wildfires are possible during extreme weather. A primary carrier of fire in Texas is tall grass, which burns more readily than live trees and under a wide range of conditions. Austin Water manages the boundary of its wildlands to provide a buffer between communities and the wildlands using a technique known as the shaded fuel break.
Shaded fuel breaks work by removing low-hanging limbs and brush beneath mature trees while leaving the forest canopy intact. The intact canopy shades out grasses that can increase fire frequency and may prevent fire from rising into the canopy, where embers carried by wind can travel long distances and threaten homes. In short, shaded fuel breaks reduce the likelihood of fire starting, reduce the severity of a fire by slowing its vertical spread and maintain canopy coverage for the benefit of the ecosystem. To date, Austin Water has created 12.6 miles of shaded fuel breaks to a depth of 70 feet, with more planned. In parts of Austin where our properties more closely resemble grassland, boundaries are mowed regularly and thinned as necessary.
For fuel management concerns regarding land managed by Austin Water's Wildland Conservation Division near your property, email WCDadmin@austintexas.gov.
Wildfire planning and risk:
Home hardening:
- Video: Hardening your home against wildfire (YouTube)
- Video: Wildfire home hardening techniques (YouTube)
Defensible space and preparedness:
Austin Water Wildlands fuel management: