Borger’s mitigation program earns national recognition; city outlines fuel-reduction and emergency preparations

City staff briefed the Borger City Council on recent wildfire-mitigation work and emergency preparations as the region moves into a season of elevated fire risk.

Bradley said the city completed a 7-mile prescribed burn and that the community’s mitigation program was selected for the 2026 National Wildfire Mitigation Hero Award. “That is actually the highest mitigation award in the country for mitigation efforts,” Bradley said, and noted the 2024 wildfire stopped at that mitigation burn as evidence of the program’s effectiveness.

Staff described a multi-pronged fuels-reduction strategy that includes prescribed fire, thinning crews, mowing and resident outreach to improve Firewise practices. Bradley said the city is the only full city in the nation with Firewise certification, a distinction that is now rare because of the difficulty of certifying an entire municipality.

On detection and response, Bradley told council the city has access to AI-based fire-detection cameras and is working with FEMA to finalize grant terms; FEMA asked for clarifications because the city requested nine cameras but proposed three tower locations. He also outlined regional mutual-aid resources staged at the airport (multiple ambulances, strike teams and a single-engine air tanker).

Officials also described operational preparations: a diesel fuel trailer to support backup generators, plans to prioritize secondary power at wastewater lift stations and a phased move from natural gas to diesel for generator reliability. Bradley said these steps are intended to reduce ignition sources and keep critical infrastructure functioning during outages.

Staff said they will publish outreach and a press release as national recognition is finalized. Council did not vote to change policy during the presentation; items described were presented as operational updates and grant activities.