Wildfire in south Austin on April 17, 2011 (Courtesy: KXAN Viewer)

UPDATED FIGURES 5/4/11: As Gov. Rick Perry requests President Barack Obama’s help in fighting the wildfires in Texas, some seem to think the feds aren’t doing anything at all. Not true. Even Perry says there is some federal presence here. He just wants more.

Perry has asked the president to declare a “Major Disaster,” which would make the state eligible for response and recovery assistance. Specifically, Perry wants: Direct Federal Assistance including air and ground firefighting resources; and Emergency Protective Measures taken before, during and after a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, and protect property.

“We’re at the point now where we’ve got both property but more importantly people’s lives in danger where we really need the federal government to step up in a substantially greater role than they have been playing,” Perry has said.

While there’s no doubt this season’s wildfires are extreme (2.3 million acres burned by nearly 9,000 fires as of May 1), the governor’s “Major Disaster” plea is not one often granted. Only once in the history of that designation (according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website) has FEMA made that move for a fire in Texas.

Over one week in March 2006, wildfires killed a dozen people and thousands of livestock in the Panhandle. Strong winds and extreme drought were to blame:

• June 7, 2006 – People who worked in Johnson County whose worked was disrupted by wildfire threats could apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
• June 9, 2006 – People who suffered damage from Texas wildfires were able to receive more than $5.5 million in disaster assistance for temporary housing, minor home repairs, and other expenses not covered by insurance.
• November 29, 2006 – Public assistance was made available to reimburse Texas for disaster relief. The Texas Forest Service received $19.5 million for extraordinary expenses during response and recovery.

Beyond “Major Disaster Declarations” for fires, FEMA has also issued lesser fire-related “Emergency Declarations” five times since 1993 and “Fire Management Assistance Declarations” 84 times since December 2005, including 25 times in the last year alone (see the full list below).

However, even if the federal government doesn’t declare a disaster this season, it doesn’t mean there’s no help coming our way from Washington. By air:

• Just deployed four 3,000 gallon tanks that can be strapped to a C-130 refueling planes to turn them into air tankers
• Sent a modified DC-10 able to hold 11,000 gallons of fire suppressant

Those items, in addition to the state and local resources, are working hard to keep the flames at bay, but Perry said those things alone will likely not be enough.

“I hope it’s only a few more days, but the fact is the conditions don’t look positive to have this over with anytime soon,” he said.

Major Disaster Declarations

• 2006 01/11 Extreme Wildfire Threat

Emergency Declarations

• 2008 03/14 Wildfires
• 1999 09/01 Extreme Fire Hazards
• 1998 06/23 Severe Wildfire Potential
• 1996 02/23 Fire Emergency
• 1993 09/10 Extreme Fire Hazard

Fire Management Assistance Declarations

• 2011 04/30 Sisk Road Fire
• 2011 04/30 Waggoner Ranch Fire
• 2011 04/29 Oasis Pipeline Fire
• 2011 04/27 Pleasant Farms Fire
• 2011 04/21 148/2332 Fire
• 2011 04/17 Pinnacle Fire
• 2011 04/17 Bryson Fire Complex
• 2011 04/16 PK East Fire
• 2011 04/16 East Sidwynicks Fire
• 2011 04/16 Hohertz Fire
• 2011 04/15 Wildcat Fire
• 2011 04/15 Wichita Fire Complex
• 2011 04/15 Cooper Mountain Ranch Fire
• 2011 04/15 PK West Fire
• 2011 04/09 Hickman Fire
• 2011 04/09 Rockhouse Fire
• 2011 04/09 Swenson Fire
• 2011 04/05 El Cenzio Fire
• 2011 04/03 Bates Field Fire
• 2011 03/12 Big Trickle Ranch Fire
• 2011 03/11 Enmin Fire
• 2011 02/28 Mitchell Fire Complex
• 2011 02/27 Tanglewood Fire Complex
• 2011 02/27 Matador Fire
• 2011 02/27 Willow Creek South Fire Complex
• 2009 04/10 617 Fire
• 2009 04/10 1148 Fire
• 2009 04/10 Breckenridge Fire
• 2009 04/10 Cement Mountain Fire
• 2009 04/10 Montague Fire Complex
• 2009 04/10 Electra West Fire
• 2009 04/07 Steel Fire
• 2009 04/05 Holiday Beach Fire
• 2009 04/04 Magic City Fire
• 2009 04/03 Lagarto Fire
• 2009 03/20 Greenwood Fire
• 2009 03/05 Tuscola Fire
• 2009 03/03 Loma Del Norte Fire
• 2009 02/28 Wilderness Ridge Fire
• 2009 02/27 Rhodes Ranch Fire
• 2009 02/25 Clyde Fire
• 2008 08/07 Florence Fire
• 2008 06/16 Camp Bowie Fire
• 2008 06/04 Hughes Ranch Fire
• 2008 06/03 Rein Street Fire
• 2008 05/01 Price Fire
• 2008 04/16 Hebbronville Fire
• 2008 04/10 Parker Fire
• 2008 03/31 Kentwood Fire
• 2008 03/27 Silver Heels Fire
• 2008 03/19 Encino Fire
• 2008 03/19 Burns Ranch Fire
• 2008 03/15 322 Fire
• 2008 03/14 Eighty-two Fire
• 2008 03/14 Old Bastrop Highway Fire Complex
• 2008 03/12 Arabella Fire
• 2008 03/04 La Perla Fire
• 2008 02/28 New Archer Fire
• 2008 02/25 Silver Fire
• 2008 02/25 South Odessa Fire
• 2008 02/23 Scurry Complex Fire
• 2008 02/13 Broadway Fire
• 2008 02/08 Chevron Fire
• 2006 11/15 Rim Rock Fire
• 2006 09/14 Moore Road Fire
• 2006 08/19 Caddo II Fire Complex
• 2006 08/16 Purgatory Road Fire
• 2006 06/27 North Trinity Fire
• 2006 05/26 Lake Olympia Fire
• 2006 02/05 Venus Fire Complex
• 2006 01/19 Orchard Fire
• 2006 01/19 Huntington Brook Fire
• 2006 01/15 Caddo Fire
• 2006 01/13 Lockhart Fire
• 2006 01/11 Niederwald Fire
• 2006 01/08 Hawkins Fire
• 2006 01/07 Cedar Creek Fire
• 2006 01/05 Mill Creek Fire
• 2006 01/05 Rosewood Fire
• 2006 01/05 Bulverde Fire
• 2006 01/01 Ringgold Fire
• 2006 01/01 Carbon Fire
• 2005 12/28 Kennedale Fire
• 2005 12/28 Callahan County Fire

Another of Gov. Rick Perry’s emergency items is on the fast track to becoming law. The full Senate will soon consider a bill regarding eminent domain, after the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously voted for the legislation 6-0.

Senate Bill 18 is the result of a efforts at the Capitol six years and running. Lawmakers worked to pass similar bills in the last three sessions to fix problems in the state’s eminent domain law.

The main problem – landowners losing their property for the wrong reasons. This bill, which has wide support from several ranch and farm groups, not to mention local governments and utilities among others, is nearly identical to the bill the Senate passed in the last session. However, it ultimately died in the House.

The legislation aims to keep any group – private or public – from taking property through the eminent domain law, if that land is not meant for public use. There are other stipulations for the intended buyer and enhanced rights for property owners under the bill.

It is expected to once again pass through the Senate. This would be the second of Perry’s emergency items (those lawmakers are allowed to push through in the first 60 days of the session) to do so. Senators approved a Voter ID bill last week.