Kerr County once again offering free wildfire mitigation sessions

Twin sessions presented by the Texas A&M Forest Service on wildfire mitigation was so popular with Kerr County residents in January, that Kerr County Emergency Management has added two more sessions to the calendar on Wednesday, February 19. “For anyone who might have missed attending one of these sessions when we hosted them in January, this is your opportunity to learn how to protect your property and how to get a little financial assistance doing it,” said Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas.

The sessions are free of charge and are identical in content, so citizens are encouraged to choose to attend either the 10-11:30 a.m. gathering, or the 1:30-3 p.m. assembly. Both sessions will be held in the old Union Church building, located at 101 Travis Street in Kerrville. No advance registration is required.

The event will focus on residents who live in the wildland urban interface (where humans and their structures intermix with vegetation.) The goal is to encourage homeowners to take action to protect their properties from fires. Presenters will also offer information on a pass-through cost-share grant opportunity for landowners to help them pay for mechanical efforts to reduce wildfire fuels. For additional information, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu//mechgrant/.

“The devastating wildfires in California recently reminded us all that such a disaster could easily happen here,” Thomas said. “These sessions are a great way for our local residents to learn about how to assess and minimize wildfire risks on their land, as well as grant opportunities to help pay for their mitigation efforts.”