May 13, 2016 — CHILDRESS, Texas — A task force with Texas A&M Forest Service began a hazardous fuels reduction training project which should prove to benefit the citizens of Childress.
On May 3, the crew began cleaning up the area surrounding an overgrown section of Fair Park. Work includes thinning small trees, removing dead trees and trimming healthy trees.
The project provides Texas A&M Forest Service wildland firefighters an opportunity to train with and increase their technical skills.
“It benefits the task force with valuable training in chainsaw operations and hand line construction — with an emphasis on the incident command system that we use every day,” Task Force Coordinator Casey Eoff said. “At the end of the project, the City of Childress will have a nature trail to walk on, with educational narratives along the way.”
The fuels reduction training also serves as an educational tool by providing Firewise landscaping demonstrations for citizens in surrounding communities.
The project is possible through a mitigation agreement with the City of Childress to reduce their wildfire threat and completion is expected during the summer and fall of 2016.
For information on Firewise landscaping and reducing the risk of wildfire to homes, visit http://www.firewise.org.
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Texas A&M Forest Service Contact:
Mylea Lovell; Wildland Urban Interface Specialist; 806-892-3584; mlovell@tfs.tamu.edu