Kendall County proclaims Wildfire Community Preparedness Day; authorizes Fire Coalition to create defensible-space demonstration at Candelaria Library

Kendall County Commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed May 3, 2025, as Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and unanimously approved a Hill Country Fire Coalition project to create a defensible-space demonstration and an educational “Firewise USA” garden at the Candelaria Library.

The action came after a presentation from Hill Country Fire Coalition director Christy Wiley and partners including Mike Nelson, assistant director for strategic planning at the Hill Country Partnership, and representatives of the coalition’s outreach team. Wiley described a May 3 preparedness workshop at Perch Farms that will include a SIM (simulation) table demonstration, mitigation vendors and a hands-on demonstration of steps homeowners can take to reduce wildfire risk.

The commissioners discussed the coalition’s recent accomplishments: increased outreach and social-media traffic, training of mitigation specialists, completed fuels mitigation work with Team Rubicon, and ongoing applications for federal grants. Wiley said the coalition had received an NFPA award and that a partner contributed a $20,000 grant toward a SIM table; that gift was later increased to $30,000 to cover a first-year software/training fee, she said. The coalition also reported 28 property-assessment requests in progress and interest from four homeowner associations about Firewise USA status.

Commissioners approved the proclamation by voice vote and then moved to authorize the Hill Country Fire Coalition to satisfy the NFPA/State Farm grant requirement by completing a defensible-space project and building an informational garden at the Candelaria Library. Commissioner Carpenter made the motion; it was seconded and passed 5–0. The county’s existing sponsor relationship with the coalition (the county budget included a sponsorship of the coalition in FY25) was discussed; Wiley confirmed the coalition has received the first three quarterly payments and remains a volunteer-run nonprofit, paying mitigation specialists $75 per assessment.

Wiley and partners said the library demonstration would focus on the Firewise USA three-zone approach (0–5 feet, 5–30 feet, 30–100 feet) and serve as a public educational asset. She also said Boerne High School students have offered a community-service day for phase work on or about May 14.

The court’s motion authorized the coalition to proceed; commissioners voted 5–0 to approve the authorization and to proclaim May 3 as Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.

The coalition and county staff clarified that the county’s sponsorship funds are classified as “sponsors” (not a grant) and that coalition staff remain volunteer; only mitigation specialists will receive stipend payments. The coalition said it has applied for Community Wildfire Defense grants and requested a waiver of the standard 25% cost share because some portions of Kendall County do not meet the low-income threshold used in that federal program.

The coalition also asked residents to be aware of some federal mitigation offers that exclude Kendall County because of eligibility criteria; Wiley said the coalition is sending letters to state and federal representatives requesting eligibility changes.

The court’s approvals were procedural: the proclamation and the authorization to complete the NFPA/State Farm-funded demonstration project at the Candelaria Library were both adopted by unanimous vote. The coalition intends to return to the court with details for scheduling and volunteer coordination.