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Kendall County proclaims Hidden Springs its first Firewise USA community as coalition outlines $2.2M grant plan
Summary
Kendall County commissioners unanimously adopted a proclamation recognizing Hidden Springs Subdivision as the county’s first Firewise USA community and heard that the Hill Country Fire Coalition received a five‑year, $2.2 million Community Wildfire Defense Grant; the coalition requested county support and outlined a small resident grant program funded partly by an $81,000 FY26 county allocation.
Kendall County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously adopted a proclamation recognizing Hidden Springs Subdivision as the county’s first Firewise USA community and heard details of a major federal grant that will expand local wildfire mitigation work.
The proclamation, read and moved by County Judge Shane Salarzic, credited Hidden Springs with meeting National Fire Protection Association and Texas A&M Forest Service criteria for Firewise USA recognition. The court voted 4–0 to adopt Proclamation P20251125‑1.
Why it matters: The recognition marks the first Firewise USA community in Kendall County and signals a countywide interest in coordinated, neighborhood‑level wildfire risk reduction. The Hill Country Fire Coalition told the court that the group received a five‑year Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) totaling $2,200,000 and secured a full cost‑share waiver, enabling the coalition to use county support to stretch federal funds further.
Christy, representing the Hill Country Fire Coalition, told commissioners the grant scored 94 out of 100 points and that the coalition plans to hire two part‑time support positions to help sustain operations. ‘‘This significant investment combined with the county support will allow us to expand our education programs, property risk assessments, community mitigation work, and insurance industry engagement,’’ Christy said.
The coalition asked the court to consider how county funding and local fire‑department participation could be incorporated into long‑term implementation of the county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Christy described a proposed county‑administered wildfire risk‑reduction grant program using the court’s FY26 allocation as seed money to help qualifying residents pay the upfront costs of mitigation work; awards would follow a risk assessment and be paid to contractors or volunteer teams.
Dr. Schroeder, a resident involved with the Hidden Springs effort, said he ‘‘simply found somebody to help’’ the neighborhood navigate the Firewise process and credited the coalition for guiding volunteers through the application and mitigation steps.
Commissioners and speakers emphasized volunteer limits and the need for broader fire‑department engagement. County staff reported that local fire chiefs recommended (7‑0) keeping the county burn ban in place because of lingering dry fuels and forecast winds. The coalition noted that some fire departments have been strong partners while participation from others remains limited, and said that full engagement will be critical to convert the federal award into on‑the‑ground projects.
The court asked the coalition for regular updates; the coalition said it will provide quarterly reports to the court as the grant funds are deployed. The proclamation and the coalition’s presentation conclude the county’s formal recognition and mark the start of a cooperative implementation phase.
