New initiative aims to get Austinites 'Wildfire Ready'
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Austin and Travis County leaders are joining forces to better prepare for this year's wildfire season.
It’s been one year since the Pinnacle fire burned dozens of acres in Southwest Austin. Monday, officials from across the region launched the Wildfire Ready Austin campaign at the Austin Community College Pinnacle Campus, near where last year's fire began.
Officials hope the push will help educate people about what they can do to avoid becoming wildfire victims.
"It's pretty simple. The way regular people can get involved, is take care of their homes now, not when the fire's coming, not when we're back in severe fire danger. Get out there. Have a lean, green area around their home. Get their home prepared. Harden their home so they're adaptive. If people help us, when our fire engines come, we can expand and maximize our resources. If they help us first," Travis County Emergency Services District No. 6 Fire Chief Jim Linardos said.
The Pinnacle fire damaged or destroyed 21 homes and burned more than 100 acres.
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