Chief Palmer Buck presented a wildfire preparedness briefing to The Woodlands Township Board of Directors on Jan. 16, addressing differences between Southern California wildfire conditions and local wildfire risk and outlining the township’s current fire‑mitigation capabilities and gaps.

Chief Buck said wildfire behavior depends on weather, topography and fuels and emphasized that The Woodlands benefits from abundant hydrants, open drainage areas and developed road access. He noted the township has an ISO Class 1 rating, roughly 4,000 hydrants maintained by local water agencies, and daily firefighter staffing of 42 personnel across 8 stations and 10 companies. For wildland response, the department has three brush trucks and one all‑terrain firefighting vehicle (ATV); some brush trucks are aging and replacements ordered through the capital program are scheduled for delivery in 2026–2027.

Chief Buck named two priority landscape areas: the George Mitchell Nature Preserve and the Jones Forest. He said the state’s Jones Forest is regularly managed, including prescribed burns by Texas A&M Forest Service, while the George Mitchell Preserve includes large tracts of land in mixed ownership and requires discussion with landowners and managers to address fuel loads, access and potential prescribed burns or other land‑management strategies.

“We have a great number of natural and manmade fire breaks in the form of creeks, drainage areas, and roadways that help prevent the spread of wildfire,” Chief Buck said, and he added the Woodlands Water system and hydrant network provide a significant advantage. He outlined training and equipment steps the department is pursuing: an additional firefighting ATV to be placed in service, fast‑tracking lieutenants for engine‑boss certification, sawyer training for firefighters, and a multi‑year plan to procure 25 sets of wildland personal protective equipment.

Why it matters: Board members and residents had expressed concern after high‑profile California fires. The briefing clarified what conditions would create similar risk locally and explained both capabilities and resource gaps. Directors asked staff to translate the briefing into public information and to coordinate with land managers and Howard Hughes/Development entities for prescribed‑burn and land‑management planning in the George Mitchell Nature Preserve.

What’s next: Fire staff will finalize training on the new ATV, continue certification efforts, pursue the planned equipment purchases, and work with township communications on a public information piece. Directors recommended a public‑facing social‑media video to explain wildfire preparedness and response resources to residents.

Sources: Oral presentation by Chief Palmer Buck, The Woodlands Fire Department; staff responses during board Q&A.