Lago Vista Firewise

Lago Vista Firewise: Who We Are and What We Do

We are a group of dedicated citizens that has a passion for protecting our community against wildfires by putting fire precaution protocols into place. Lago Vista Firewise is not an emergency service organization. If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1 to be connected with the appropriate emergency services.

Recently, Lago Vista Firewise has been mentioned in several social media posts, so we want to clarify our role and set expectations for the community.

Firewise USA: Reducing Risk, Not Eliminating It

It’s important to understand that the Firewise USA program will not make your home or property fireproof—no home can be 100% fireproof. However, there are steps we can all take to make our properties more fire-resistant and ensure that our families, pets, and community are better prepared in the event of a wildfire.

The most effective action you can take is hardening your home against wildfire threats. Lago Vista Firewise’s primary mission is to empower and educate our neighbors to take voluntary steps toward reducing wildfire risk.

Who We Are (And Who We Aren’t)

Lago Vista Firewise is a local, volunteer-driven community service organization. We are neighbors helping neighbors by implementing the Firewise USA program from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

We are NOT a government agency. While we collaborate with local agencies and appreciate their support, we operate independently.
We do NOT plan or execute evacuations, fire response, or emergency management.
We do NOT conduct code enforcement or compliance activities for any government entity.
We ARE a group of dedicated volunteers working to help homeowners make informed, voluntary choices to improve their wildfire preparedness.

A Continuation and a New Beginning

We are grateful for the efforts of those who established Lago Vista Firewise and helped secure our official Firewise USA Site designation. Now, we’re working to rebuild and strengthen our organization to better serve the community.

This means we’re currently:
✔ Revamping and reconnecting with the community
✔ Building a new leadership team
✔ Training new volunteers

In 2025, we plan to host Firewise education forums and provide on-site Firewise assessments for homeowners who request them. However, these assessments may not be available until the second quarter of 2025, so we appreciate your patience.

How You Can Get Involved

1️⃣ Educate Yourself – Learn about the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) and how to apply Firewise principles to your property. Start here: NFPA Home Ignition Zone Guide. Remember, Firewise is voluntary—each homeowner decides which steps make sense for their home based on their own priorities and resources.

2️⃣ Volunteer – We need help with:
🔹 Conducting site evaluations
🔹 Social media and outreach
🔹 Event planning and education
🔹 Leadership roles
Every volunteer will receive basic Firewise training. A formal list of roles will be published later this month, but if you're interested, send us a direct message on Facebook to get involved.

3️⃣ Request a Firewise Evaluation – Once we’re ready to accept requests, we’ll announce it on our Facebook page. These Site Ignition Zone Evaluations can help identify ways to reduce wildfire risk around your home.