There were three key takeaways from the recent information meeting about wildfires for Lakewood and Jester Estates residents.

First, sign up for a free Structural Ignition Zone Evaluation (or SIZE) to assess the wildfire risk to your home, sign up for alerts at warncentraltexas.org, and know how to find Temporary Assembly Points (TAP) signs in an evacuation.

During a SIZE evaluation, an Austin wildfire advisor will meet you at your home to walk the exterior and explain how to strengthen your property against wildfire risk. It’s important because embers from wildfires can travel more than 1.5 miles. Learn more here.

Second, sign up for alerts of all emergency types at warncentraltexas.org. You can decide which alerts you want and how you want to receive them.

And third, know where to look for TAP signs and directions when leaving our neighborhood if it’s ordered to evacuate. The signs are typically located away from the neighborhood to ease traffic. Scan the sign’s QR code to complete a form telling emergency responders that folks in your home are accounted for. There’s more in the presentation shown at the recent meeting here.

Lakewood is a participating site in NFPA – Firewise USA®, a nationwide designation for communities working to reduce wildfire risks. The meeting was held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church.

Here are the details for tomorrow’s garage sales (Saturday, April 25)! They’re scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon at 6321 Big Cat Cove, 6909 Dogwood Hollow, 7102 Coachwhip Hollow, 6905 Hideaway Hollow, 6610 Robbie Creek Cove and 6501 Robbie Creek Cove.

Due to conflicts by Lakewood HOA board members with May 4, the monthly meeting of the board has been moved to May 11. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. as usual.

The date for the Lakewood communitywide spring garage sale is Saturday, April 25. Here’s how it works: Lakewood residents hold their own garage sales at their homes, from 8 a.m. to noon. If you’re having a garage sale at your house, sign up on this Google form. You don’t need to give your name. The HOA will provide a list of addresses where sales are held as the date nears.  

Last year the HOA board developed a regular schedule for spring and fall sales: the fourth Saturday in April for the spring sale and the first weekend in October for fall.

Lakewood and Jester Estates residents can learn about wildfire preparedness and evacuation planning at a presentation scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. April 1 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church at 10205 N. FM 620. The meeting is designed to support informed decisions, personal preparedness and neighborhood coordination. Other topics will include evacuation planning, emergency alerting and other resources. Representatives of local emergency service departments will review the city’s all-hazards protective action plan at the meeting. Lakewood is a participating site in Firewise USA, a nationwide designation for communities working to reduce wildfire risks