Austin Water’s Wildland Conservation division plans to conduct a prescribed burn on approximately 280 acres of the Water Quality Protection Lands in a series of operations over the course of Tuesday, February 13, and Wednesday, February 14.
Smoke may be visible south State Highway 45 and MoPac, east of FM1826, west of Brodie Lane, and northwest of FM 1626 from 10am to sunset on both days.
The Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL) program manages more than 30,000 acres to benefit the quality and quantity of water recharging the Edwards Aquifer, which provides water to both Barton Springs and to groundwater wells in Hays and Travis Counties. Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division manages the lands.
“Conducting prescribed burns is one of the strategies used to manage these lands and protect groundwater in Central Texas,” said Matt Lore, Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division. “Prescribed burns improve the resiliency of our land when they are used as a planned seasonal management tool.”
Prescribed burns mimic the natural fire cycle in a way that can be planned and organized to limit fire intensity and can serve both natural landscapes and human communities by reducing the potential for destructive wildfires. Prescribed fire reduces brush and promotes grasslands which provide the optimal quality and quantity of water to recharge the aquifer. Wildland Conservation staff has seen wildflowers and native grass communities experience greater biodiversity after prescribed fires. Grassland birds like quail and northern harrier hawks benefit from open habitat, found after a fire, for nesting and feeding.
A team of highly trained professionals comprised of Austin Water staff, city and county fire departments, and federal, state and local land management agencies ensures that safety is their primary objective. Partnerships with agencies such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, the Wildflower Center, the Texas Forest Service, and Travis County Natural Resources as well as coordination with the Austin Fire Department, neighboring fire departments and emergency service districts all contribute to Austin Water’s successful prescribed burn program.
All personnel meet specific training, experience, fitness and personal protective equipment requirements for the position they perform on the fireline. The prescription for each fire takes into account weather conditions– including wind and past precipitation – and requires specific parameters for the burn to ensure the fire behavior will meet objectives and can be safely controlled.
Areas identified for management with prescribed fire are divided into “burn units,” which allow the crew to adjust based on factors such as humidity and wind which are monitored throughout the operation. These burn units may be further divided into even smaller areas to increase flexibility for the burn crew. By committing staff and resources to one portion of the unit at a time, the prescribed burn is accomplished safely through a series of smaller efforts, with each effort building on the success of the previous. Smoke in the sky is part of prescribed fire, but these smaller units can help crews to manage smoke by reducing the volume of material consumed at one time.
Austin Water will notify the public and neighbors before each prescribed burn event. Notifications will include maps with the specific location. Neighbors or anyone interested, can sign up to receive notifications by email at this link.
Follow regular updates about prescribed burns at: www.facebook.com/AustinWater and www.twitter.com/AustinWater
For more information, please visit www.austintexas.gov/rxfire.
