Wildfire Urban Interface Response (WUI) - Cedar Park, Texas
The wildland–urban interface is a zone of transition between wilderness and land developed by human activity – an area where a built environment meets or intermingles with a natural environment. Human settlements in the WUI are at a greater risk of catastrophic wildfire.
More than 60,000 communities in the United States are at risk for WUI fires.
Between 2002 and 2016, an average of over 3,000 structures per year were lost to WUI fires in the United States.
The WUI area continues to grow by approximately 2 million acres per year.
On August 8th, 2023 as the fire was in its incipient stage, a Texas Firewalkers volunteer (Karen Koch) called the Texas Firewalkers Deployment Director (PeeWee) to notify TFW about the Cedar Park fire. This WUI incident was in its early stages and we knew that the intensity of this fire and the dry vegetation was going to make for a extended incident. Texas Firewalkers home base is located 13 miles SE of Bastrop Texas on Hwy 304. The incident command was located at the Bexley at Silverado complex on Parmer Lane which is 65 mile away. Karen was able to make a direct connection with the Incident Command Post and the staff of the Cedar Park Fire Department to gain access for our deployment trailers to position our team of volunteers right in the command post within 2 hours of being notified. The TFW volunteer deployment arrived approximately 11:00pm and feed over 150 first responders until the early hours of the morning. The fire destroyed a 24-unit apartment building and damaged two other buildings at the Bexley at Silverado complex. According to the city, approximately 300 apartment units, 95 townhomes and multiple businesses in the area were evacuated. Texas Firewalkers is a 100% volunteer organization and we are proud to say that we fund Texas Firewalkers off of fundraising from events and donations from our brand partners.
More than 60,000 communities in the United States are at risk for WUI fires.
Between 2002 and 2016, an average of over 3,000 structures per year were lost to WUI fires in the United States.
The WUI area continues to grow by approximately 2 million acres per year.
On August 8th, 2023 as the fire was in its incipient stage, a Texas Firewalkers volunteer (Karen Koch) called the Texas Firewalkers Deployment Director (PeeWee) to notify TFW about the Cedar Park fire. This WUI incident was in its early stages and we knew that the intensity of this fire and the dry vegetation was going to make for a extended incident. Texas Firewalkers home base is located 13 miles SE of Bastrop Texas on Hwy 304. The incident command was located at the Bexley at Silverado complex on Parmer Lane which is 65 mile away. Karen was able to make a direct connection with the Incident Command Post and the staff of the Cedar Park Fire Department to gain access for our deployment trailers to position our team of volunteers right in the command post within 2 hours of being notified. The TFW volunteer deployment arrived approximately 11:00pm and feed over 150 first responders until the early hours of the morning. The fire destroyed a 24-unit apartment building and damaged two other buildings at the Bexley at Silverado complex. According to the city, approximately 300 apartment units, 95 townhomes and multiple businesses in the area were evacuated. Texas Firewalkers is a 100% volunteer organization and we are proud to say that we fund Texas Firewalkers off of fundraising from events and donations from our brand partners.
More videos from the incident
TFW Deployment Team images