Follow FEMA:
Texas Wildfires (DR-4029)
Updates
AUSTIN, Texas — The 2011 wildfires that raged through scores of Texas counties, coupled with the ongoing drought, underscore a painful truth: Now, more than ever, is the time to educate Texans and build firewise communities, say officials with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- Favorable weather conditions, especially recent rains and warm nighttime temperatures, have triggered the emergence of the endangered Houston toad in Bastrop County, one of the toad’s few remaining habitats. This is positive indication that toads survived the Labor Day wildfires.
- Temporary debris piles and hazardous trees being removed from public rights of way and private property in Bastrop County during wildfire recovery, especially brush and vegetative debris, may provide artificial habitat for the toad.
To the survivors of the recent wildfires that began Labor Day weekend, I want to assure you that as the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) for FEMA Disaster 4029, I am here to support the State and local leadership in providing required assistance to all eligible survivors. I will be working jointly with the State Coordinating Officer (SCO) and local officials in the designated counties to identify needs and bring assistance quickly. We will leverage all levels of our government – at the federal, state and local level - and the private sector to support the survivors of the devastating wildfires. We are employing a “whole community” approach to this response and recovery that has survivors at the forefront of our decisions.