Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Presenters:  Brent Leisure
Jeff Sparks
Greg Creacy

Briefing
September 2011 Bastrop Complex Wildfires
November 3, 2011

I.       Executive Summary:  State Parks Natural Resources Fire Program staff will discuss the Bastrop Complex Fire that caused severe impacts to over 34,000 acres of Bastrop County, including Bastrop State Park.

II.      Discussion:  From the onset of the Bastrop Complex Fire on Sunday, September 4, 2011 until its containment, 140 TPWD employees, including 55 certified wildland firefighters, law enforcement staff, and Incident Command personnel championed a vigorous attack on the fire that affected 96% of Bastrop State Park.  Having certification and training to national firefighting standards allowed the battalion of TPWD firefighters to team with the Texas Forest Service and, eventually, the Type 1 Incident Management Team to assist with the efforts in the immediate area of Bastrop and Buescher State Parks.  With the assistance of heavy equipment and resources that were on loan from commercial donors during the incident, historic structures and 50-100 acres of Bastrop State Park were spared.  Assessment of the impacts to the natural resources and the development of a recovery plan is ongoing.