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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Recovering from Wildfires
February 9, 2007
No one can fully prepare for the most destructive forces of nature. When they occur, we must respond as best we can. We lend a hand to our neighbors and try to help the people most affected get back on their feet. This is a lesson we were reminded of with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And unfortunately, we again experienced devastation with the wildfires in North Texas and more recently in the Texas Panhandle.
The damage caused by these fires was considerable. Over 800,000 acres burned, as the largest single wildfire in Texas history blazed through county after county in the Panhandle. Between 4,000 and 5,000 head of livestock were lost. Homes, barns and other buildings were destroyed. Thousands of miles of fence line and power lines were left in ruins. And 11 lives were claimed by this mammoth blaze.
While authorities continue their task of assessing the damage, our recovery efforts are underway. On March 20, I spoke with 17 county judges from impacted areas, and I was extremely impressed with the coordination of local authorities. It was the single-largest mobilization of firemen in state history. More than 700 professional and volunteer firemen lent their services. These heroic firefighters answered the call when they were needed, and showed no fear in the face of grave danger.
Financial relief is also on the way. I worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to secure funds to help farmers and ranchers recover. These efforts paid off for Texas, as the USDA, on March 24, approved $8.1 million in Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funding.
Agriculture producers in 16 counties are eligible for the ECP funding. Panhandle residents are working hard to overcome their losses, and this critical assistance will help core Texas industries recover. Texans can rebuild the 5,000 miles of fencing and conservation structures that were damaged or destroyed. These funds are an investment in the future of Panhandle agriculture, and they will accelerate our recovery from this devastating blow.
The USDA has also established temporary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) guidelines that will provide crucial support to livestock producers in the Panhandle. The guidelines were established to help cattle producers in 27 North Texas counties and six Oklahoma counties. These guidelines will support producers by allowing them to remove dry grass in CRP acreage and move more cattle to the area. I understand these guidelines may need to be extended as recovery efforts continue, and I will work with the USDA on behalf of farmers and ranchers to see that we get this extension.
In addition, we expect to receive federal disaster relief. All Texas counties can already receive public assistance under the disaster declaration made by President Bush on January 11 for our December and January fires. That declaration will cover 75 percent of costs for many of our firefighting and other emergency protective measures.
Under that disaster declaration, the federal government is providing additional assistance to individuals in the counties most affected in December and January. They may apply for aid, including grants to pay for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. For the most recent fires, the federal government is in the process of assessing damage and adding new counties to the list eligible for individual assistance.
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