Veteran-led volunteer group clears tree debris in Williamson County ahead of wildfire season

Preparing for wildfires in Williamson County

A group of volunteers is hoping to bring some peace of mind to residents when the seasons change. FOX 7 Austin's Williamson County reporter Lauren Rangel explains.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - Right now, extreme heat and wildfire conditions seem worlds away, but for a group in Williamson County, the time to prepare for dryer months is now.

"You have a desire to serve and take care of others because there's nothing quite like seeing the joy on a person's face when you give them hope," said Stephen Hudson, the instant commander for Team Rubicon.

Hope sometimes comes in the form of tree limbs.

"We're creating what's called a fuel break, as you can see between the fence and the trail here," Jeffrey Marshburn, the operation section chief for Team Rubicon.

Marshburn and about a dozen others are clearing out a trail in Georgetown that backs up to homes.

They're with Team Rubicon, a non-profit focused on disaster relief.

Team Rubicon helps Williamson County with fire mitigation efforts

Team Rubicon is doing preventative work to protect homes and the endangered species that live in Williamson County.

"We're removing a lot of debris, a lot of dead wood, stuff like that," said Marshburn.

The woodsy area they’re cleaning up in isn't a disaster sight, and it hopefully never will be.

The group cleared about 30,000 cubic feet of debris, which would have otherwise posed a wildfire threat.

"This gives the emergency management and emergency responders an opportunity to fight a fire while it's on the ground," said Hudson. "If it gets in the canopy, it spreads rather quickly, like we had in Cedar Park last year where apartments burned."

Everyone is a volunteer.

"That's sort of an emotional event for me because everybody has a reason to serve," said Hudson.

How you can prepare your homes for wildfire

The Austin Disaster Relief said the Parmer Lane Fire would likely not be the last this area sees during wildfire season, and everyone should consider preparing now.

Some, like Hudson, have been impacted by disasters themselves, and others came in search of a purpose.

"When we transition off of duty or out of service, we struggle to find purpose, right? said ," said Marshburn, who served in the U.S. Army. "So, something that's bigger than ourselves, something that impacts the community."

"We can't even begin to describe, my husband and I, how much we get out of it by helping other people," said Stacey Mitchell, another volunteer.

Team Rubicon is always looking for volunteers. You can learn how to sign up on their website.