AUSTIN (KXAN) — A homeless encampment spanning over 37 acres of wooded area in southeast Austin was recently closed due to “high wildfire risk,” the city of Austin said in a press release Wednesday.
The city said it relocated 32 people from the encampment near Ben White Boulevard and Montopolis Boulevard to the Northbridge and Southbridge shelters.
The Austin Fire Department responded to 35 fire-related calls at this location in 2024, determining that a “major” fire in this area may affect essential services and critical infrastructure, the release said.
There’s a 4-million-gallon water storage and pump facility, operated by Austin Water, as well as “one of the largest federally qualified healthcare centers” that serves low-income residents near the encampment. A wildfire would force patients to evacuate and “impact one of the most frequented walk-up healthcare access points in Austin-Travis County,” the city said.
A photo provided in the city’s release showed a bulldozer gathering large piles of debris at the encampment.
“By tackling wildfire risks, providing crucial support to those in need, and prioritizing the well-being of all individuals, we are fostering a community that stands together,” David Gray, Austin’s homeless strategy officer, said in the release.
The Homeless Strategy Office coordinated with AFD, the Austin Police Department and the Development Services Department’s Code Division on the clean-up.
Central Texas is currently in one of its wildfire “seasons,” which often happen in spring and late summer/early fall when conditions are dry and winds are gusty.
The KXAN First Warning Weather team has forecasted high winds and low humidity for Central Texas on Wednesday.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening for the Hill Country and Austin metro. The Red Flag Warning means “critical” fire weather conditions are happening now or will shortly, according to the National Weather Service.
The KXAN First Warning Weather team contributed to this story.
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