10/02/2026
Wildfire preparedness can be difficult to discuss when a potential flood demands attention. Yet on Wednesday, September 30, more than 50 people gathered at Boerne City Hall to learn how the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Home™ and Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood™ programs can strengthen wildfire resilience in Kendall County.
The Hill Country Fire Coalition of Texas brought together builders, developers, architects, engineers, land management and landscaping companies, and real estate and insurance professionals to turn discussion into action.
Participants also included local and neighboring fire service professionals; representatives from the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Insurance Council of Texas; and Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk.
Our speakers connected construction, mitigation, inspections, and insurance:
• Justice Jones, International Code Council: Building in the wildland-urban interface and the importance of adopting the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
• Mark Novak, IBHS: The Wildfire Prepared Home and Neighborhood programs.
• Travis Slaydon, State Farm: How meeting IBHS standards may help homeowners retain or obtain insurance.
• Thaddeus Foster, IBHS inspector: The Wildfire Prepared Home inspection process.
One state official noted that the Coalition had accomplished something many organizations have struggled to achieve: bringing the right people together to advance wildfire resilience.
This workshop was possible because of generous support and collaboration. Thank you to Kim Blohm for helping connect us with participants; the City of Boerne - City Government for providing the facilities; and Kristy Stark and Siria Vargas for coordinating logistics.
Thank you to our speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and to Travis Slaydon - State Farm Insurance Agent for providing lunch. We also appreciate Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk continued attendance and support, and our Hill Country Fire Coalition of Texas volunteers’ dedication to making Kendall County safer.
Finally, thank you to every participant who took a seat at the table. Your involvement is essential to what comes next.
Let’s keep the conversation moving toward action. Together, we can reduce wildfire risk, protect lives, and minimize property loss—one home and one community at a time.
City of Boerne - City Government, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, , , Travis Slaydon - State Farm Insurance Agent Texas State Fire Marshal Texas Division of Emergency Management Wildfire Education & Prevention - Texas A&M Forest Service Texas A&M Forest Service
