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Lakeway homeowners get free tool to prevent house fires

Homeowners can now have a free "ignition zone" assessment thanks to the City of Lakeway and Lake Travis Fire Rescue.

LAKEWAY, Texas — Homeowners in Lakeway now have a new resource to protect their home from wildfires.

The City of Lakeway has had a fire mitigation plan for a few years, trimming vegetation around city parks and property. But now they've teamed up with Lake Travis Fire Rescue to help residents protect their home, for free.

"Your roof is going to be the most vulnerable aspect. Why? because it’s the biggest area that embers are going to accumulate,” said Fire Mitigation Specialist Chris Rea.

Tuesday, Rea looked for vulnerable spots around Bob Farr’s home in Lakeway.

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"I'm not going to say remove it, but I think it would be good to prune it up a little bit,” said Rea.

He’s working with the fire department and the City of Lakeway to educate the public about wildfire risk, and visit homes like the Farrs' for an “ignition zone” assessment.

"If that catches fire, if you do have debris stuck in here, it can actually carry it all the way up to the roof,” said Rea.

Rea creates an in-depth report with notes, photos and suggestions to make the home wildfire-safe, like installing double-pane windows, replacing mulch with gravel, and sealing cracks and gaps in siding.

"You'd be surprised what embers can find their way into,” said Rea.

He said a home can burn in three ways: when the fire travels on the ground, jumps in the tree canopy, or from flying embers.

According to Rea, embers from a wildfire can travel a mile away, and 90 percent of the time that's what causes a house nearby to go up in flames

"It's our home, and we want to protect it,” said Farr.

Farr and his wife, Diane, said they've worked to make their home fire-wise, but now wanted to seize the opportunity of a professional opinion.

"2011 was a big wildfire year because there were many that were close to here, in Spicewood and off Hamilton Pool Road, and that was kind of scary,” said Diane Manchester-Farr.

According to Rea, it's important for the entire community to go through these assessments to make sure a fire can't spread through a neighborhood.

"It needs to be a neighborhood thing, so we're looking for a more comprehensive approach to, you know, attack the entire community into getting these assessments,” said Rea.

"It would be a good discussion for our neighbors too because if their house catches fire, that's the biggest source of fuel right next to us,” said Manchester-Farr.

If you want to contact Rea for a free assessment, find his contact information here.

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