Burnet County seeks federal aid, disaster declaration; residents should take action
A jeep sits among the brush along RR 1431 following the Fourth of July flood. Burnet County property owners are being asked to submit damages through the state for possible federal assistance. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Burnet County is seeking federal assistance in the aftermath of the Fourth of July flood, and residents are strongly encouraged to submit property damage through the Texas Division of Emergency Management to also receive federal aid.
Damage totals are still being tracked across Burnet County after the flood swept through the region July 4-5, killing at least five people and destroying homes, busineses, property, livestock, and more.
While Kerr County, which saw the brunt of damage, has received a federal disaster declaration, Burnet County has not. The state recognizes Burnet County as a major disaster site, but more damage calculations must be made and submitted before it qualifies for a federal designation and receives resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Burnet County leaders are urging residents to submit property damage through TDEM’s iSTAT, an online tool that will help calculate the flood’s impact on the county and possibly qualify it for federal aid. The tool asks for the cost of damages, time spent on repairs, needs and wants of the property owner, and photos and other evidence to back up claims.
“Right now, we are not under the federal nebula of major disaster declaration,” Burnet County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio told DailyTrib.com on Wednesday, July 9. “I am sure we will be moving in that direction.”
Marchio explained that the county has likely suffered far beyond the destruction necessary to qualify for federal aid, but that damage needs to be tracked and submitted to the Texas Governor’s Office so it can be passed along to the president, who could then make a federal disaster declaration.
“The quicker we get all of the (damage calculations) together, the quicker we can get all of those processes moving and here,” he said. “Using that iSTAT tool is absolutely paramount for the public to do.”
FEMA aid would be doled out to individuals and small businesses impacted by the flood.
Businesses could receive low-interest loans of up to $2 million or direct relief via a check from FEMA, depending on the extent and nature of the damage.
Homeowners, renters, and nonprofits may borrow up to $500,000 to replace or repair a residence or up to $100,000 to replace personal property. Individuals may receive up to $43,600 in direct FEMA assistance based on their needs and damages.
Learn more about the process in the 2025 TDEM Executive Guide.
Burnet County assessment teams are currently scouring the area, but Marchio said property owners are better equipped to take stock of damages. The county made its own disaster declaration on July 5, which will last until Aug. 5, and is also under the state’s disaster declaration.