🔥 Being Fire Wise in The Homestead

The Homestead’s large lots, mature trees, and beautiful Hill Country setting are part of what makes our community special. They also place us within the wildland-urban interface—where homes and natural landscapes meet. In Central Texas, drought, wind, and heavy vegetation can quickly increase wildfire risk. That’s why participation in the Firewise USA program is an important step in protecting our homes, our neighbors, and the character of our neighborhood.

Firewise USA® is a nationally recognized program designed to help communities reduce wildfire risk through practical, science-based actions. The focus is simple and effective: create defensible space around homes, manage vegetation wisely, use fire-resistant materials when possible, and work together as neighbors to reduce shared risk.

For The Homestead, being Firewise means:

• Maintaining defensible space around homes and outbuildings

• Reducing ladder fuels and clearing dead brush

• Keeping driveways and access routes passable for emergency vehicles

• Supporting coordinated community efforts to strengthen wildfire resilience

Wildfire preparedness isn’t about alarm—it’s about stewardship. By taking thoughtful, manageable steps, we protect not only our individual properties but the entire community.

On this page, you’ll find information about Firewise principles, recommended best practices for Hill Country properties, and opportunities to participate in strengthening The Homestead’s wildfire readiness.

Together, we can preserve what makes The Homestead unique—while keeping it safe for generations to come.

Latest Updates

🔥Mark your calendars for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day - May 2nd  

On May 2nd we will have our 2nd annual Community Preparedness Day. Please save the date to clear dead brush on your property and help us clean up the trail. We have arranged for the "fuels mitigation team" and Dustin Dunn (Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist ) with Lake Travis Fire Rescue to come to our neighborhood to help support our wildfire cleanup.

There will be designated common places to bring your dead brush and branches and the Fuels Mitigation Team will be there with their large chipper shredder.  

Dustin Dunn will also give a presentation on Wildfire Mitigation and talk to us about a fire drill for the neighborhood. He can answer all our questions!

This is a great opportunity to volunteer some time to the neighborhood by setting aside a few hours on May 2nd to work on the community trail in addition to clearing any dead brush and/or branches from your property. We are so lucky to have our beautiful trails and hillcountry setting and a fire department that is willing to set aside the time to help us.

Please call Kate Austin with any questions or if you would like to assist in organizing this event! We will see you on the trail! :)