| Preparing for high wildfire risk this summer Dear Neighbors, As we head into the summer months and experience record high temperatures and dry conditions, I want to remind you of steps you can take today to boost your personal preparedness for before, during, and after a wildfire. The ideal time to prepare is before a wildfire event occurs. Your best resource is the Austin-Area Wildfire Hub, which serves as the portal for community-based initiatives that improve wildfire safety in Austin and Travis County. 1. Regularly monitor wildfire conditions for high danger days. Hot, dry, and windy conditions create the perfect environment for a wildfire. Current wildfire conditions are available at the Austin-Area Wildfire Hub. The daily fire danger will be the first notification that you should be on alert for a potential wildfire event. 2. Make sure you’re signed up for Warn Central Texas, the free emergency notification service for Central Texas. You can receive alerts for natural and man-made disasters by text, email, and/or in the Warn Central Texas app and receive important instructions like evacuation orders. I urge you to sign up for several methods of communication. During a wildfire event, pay attention to all alert systems, news media, and local information sources. Do not wait to be advised to leave if there is a possible threat to your home or evacuation route. Keep in mind that embers can travel up to 1.5 miles from the main fire and start fires elsewhere. 3. Have a personal wildfire action plan for you, your family, and your pets, using the Austin-Travis County Wildfire Coalition’s Ready, Set, Go! Guide, which serves as your template. 4. Know and plan for all possible routes in and out of your area. In the event of an emergency evacuation, your usual route may not be safe, or you and members of your family may not be home when a wildfire starts. Listen to instructions from local officials about where to go and which roads may be closed. Conditions may change quickly and routes may need to be altered. 5. If you are advised to leave by local authorities, do not hesitate. Seconds matter; your material items can be replaced, your life cannot. Have an easily accessible go kit stocked with emergency supplies so you can leave and get to a safe place without delay. Implement your wildfire action plan and continue to listen to local authorities for additional information about where to go and what to do. As the Austin-Travis County Wildfire Coalition says, wildfire is everyone’s fight. When everyone does their part, we are all safer. I encourage you to get involved locally to make Austin a Fire Adapted Community. |
| Regards,Alison AlterMayor Pro TemCouncil Member, District 10 |