Wildfire Preparedness

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Wildfire Protection Plan

Following the Bastrop Complex Wildfire in 2011, the City of Sunset Valley began the process of developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The City worked with officials from the Texas Forest Service and Austin Fire Department to access the status of different parts of the City. This included looking at the City's infrastructure and wildlands. The plan was adopted by City Council In March of 2012 and provided guidance to protect the residents, visitors, and wildlife of Sunset Valley. The plan was updated in 2021. Since 2012, the City of Sunset Valley has been recognizes as a firewise community.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan (Updated 2021)

Fire Break and Open Space Management

The City of Sunset Valley has a large amount of greenspaces. This means that there are large portions of the city located along an urban-wildland interface. Beginning in 2012 the City created several firebreaks throughout these urban-wildland interface areas. The City actively maintains firebreaks throughout the City. Some of these areas are mowed seasonally other areas have shaded fire breaks. A shaded fire break or shaded fuel break is a strip of land where living vegetation has been modified or reduced to mitigate a fire's ability to spread. The Public Works Department regularly maintains these areas on a rotating basis annually. This means that at least one area of shaded fire break will be done each year.

Austin-Area Wildfire Hub

The Austin Fire Department's Wildfire Division has created the Austin-Area Wildfire Hub for information sharing, cross-agency initiatives, and grass-roots coalition building to prepare the community for wildfire. Because it's not a matter of "if" the next wildfire occurs, but "when". This portal can provide information on the current fire risk and active Fire, Rescue, & Hazmat Fire incidents in Austin and Travis County.

Wildfire Resources

Firewise at Home

Being Firewise starts at home. There are many simple things you can do at home to help protect your home from the dangers of a wildfire. Research around home destruction vs. home survival in wildfires point to embers and small flames as the main way that the majority of homes ignite in wildfires. Embers are burning pieces of airborne wood and/or vegetation that can be carried more than a mile through the wind can cause spot fires and ignite homes, debris and other objects.

There are methods for homeowners to prepare their homes to withstand ember attacks and minimize the likelihood of flames or surface fire touching the home or any attachments. Experiments, models and post-fire studies have shown homes ignite due to the condition of the home and everything around it, up to 200’ from the foundation. This is called the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ).

Also remember the words: Ready, Set, Go!. These will help you prepare for the event of a wildfire.

Ready
Get your home and family ready for a wildfire. Remove brush, trim trees, clean gutters, create a defensible space. and make a family evacuation plan.

Set
Have a checklist in place for things to do when a wildfire approaches.

Go
Early. When a wildfire approaches evacuate the area early.