34 | Chris Vetromile, Austin Energy

Co‑hosts Nick Ferguson and Steve Cieslewicz sit down with Chris Vetromile, Wildfire Mitigation Manager at Austin Energy, to unpack how a municipal utility in Central Texas is building a modern wildfire program. Chris traces his career path from California to Texas, then walks through the region’s often‑overlooked wildfire risks and how they differ from the West Coast model. The conversation explores Austin Energy’s preparation for potential state requirements around utility wildfire mitigation plans, the role of technology (including tools like Technosylva), and the way local vegetation—oak and juniper rather than pines—shapes tactics on the ground. Listeners get a look at operational readiness during red‑flag conditions, how wildfire risk is being woven into routine vegetation‑management cycles, the overlap with WUI codes and defensible‑space responsibilities, and how grid‑modernization efforts support prevention and response. The episode also tackles the politics of tree work after major storms like Yuri and Mara, and closes with Chris’s practical advice for utilities standing up new programs in regions where wildfire is a newer concern. 

A big thank you to the sponsors of this episode, Clear Path Utility Solutions.