Chris Vetromile, a Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist with 20 years of experience, is the Wildfire Mitigation Manager at Austin Energy. He has been in the role since July of 2023, when the position was created. Austin Energy Wildfire Mitigation aims to reduce the risk of electrical equipment igniting wildfires by hardening the grid and advanced fuels reduction management.

Before moving to Austin Energy, Chris was a Senior Wildfire Mitigation Specialist at the Austin Fire Department’s Wildfire Division and the Fire-Adapted Communities (FAC) program manager. He worked closely with Austin neighborhoods for four years to reduce wildfire risks.

Chris came from a fire suppression background, specializing in wildfire, working for Cal Fire in California and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Nevada. Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Environment-Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California and worked for Schlumberger Oilfield Services before returning to school to receive an Associate of Science in Fire Technology.