By Matt Largey, KUT Radio
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-985079.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Federal authorities arrived in Bastrop Tuesday to assist with a wildfire that continues to burn out of control. It's blackened more than 30,000 acres and destroyed at least 600 homes. Two people have died. KUT's Matt Largey reports the last few days have stretched fire crews to the breaking point.
Fire officials have said repeatedly their personnel are maxed out, as the number of wildfires burning in the state has grown over the past few days. At times, the going line was "if a new fire starts, we have NOTHING to send".
John Nichols: "The Texas Forest Service has been in this situation for 290 days."
John Nichols of the Texas Forest Service is referring to the remarkable stretch of wildfires that hit Texas over the past ten months. But something changed about seven days ago: the state started a new budget cycle. And the Forest Service lost almost $35 million over two years, or about a third of its regular operating budget. Nichols says that's not affecting their ability to fight wildfires. Whatever resources are necessary are being brought in. Who pays how much will be dealt with later.
John Nichols: "The emergency takes precedence over anything else. They'll find the resources to pay for it, but that's not even an issue."
Local fire departments, volunteer and paid, are the first line of defense in wildfires. And budget cuts at the Forest Service are hitting them, too. The Texas Legislature cut almost $33 million from the Forest Service's program that gives grants to local fire departments.
Chris Barron: "It means that fire departments will not be able to purchase new wildland gear, it means they won't be able to purchase protective clothing, trucks."
Chris Barron is the fire chief for the Manchaca Volunteer Fire Department, south of Austin. He's also the executive director of the State Firemen's and Fire Marshal's Association of Texas. He says cuts to that grant program will affect some departments' ability to respond to future fires. But more immediately...
Chris Barron: "The Forest Service itself lost employees, and that means that there's going to be fewer of them out there to help us."
90 full-time positions were lost September 1st.
Chris Barron: "That also means they're going to have to call upon national resources to assist, which is quite expensive to be bringing people from California to assist with these incidents. And you know, the bills are not cheap."
The Texas Legislature set aside $121 million for those kinds of bills earlier this year. Some of the cost of fighting the fires will eventually be reimbursed by the federal government. Jacqueline Chandler is with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She was with a team on the ground in Bastrop today (Tuesday), assessing the damage.
Jacqueline Chandler: "As far as how much federal funding will at the end be distributed or reimbursed, it really is going to depend on the eligible costs."
Local fire departments and the state of Texas will have to pick up whatever's left over.
Matt Largey, KUT News.