Newberry County documentary showcases wildfire preparedness efforts
NEWBERRY COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Newberry Regional Partnership released a short documentary, “From Risk to Ready: A Newberry Country Defensible Space Story,” on June 30, 2026. The film highlights local efforts in Newberry Country, Ore., to reduce wildfire risk through education, hands-on action and neighbor-to-neighbor collaboration.
The documentary was produced by Weiss Productions LLC in partnership with the Newberry Regional Partnership. It features the Defensible Space Action Team (DSAT) and connects to the Newberry Country Wildfire Preparedness Demonstration Day held on May 30, 2026.
Monte Dammarell, DSAT action team leader, emphasized the importance of community involvement in wildfire resilience. “In Newberry Country, wildfire resilience begins one property, one neighborhood and one practical step at a time. The biggest thing is just getting people to take that first step. Once they see it's doable and they see their neighbors doing it, then it starts to spread. That's what we're trying to do here — show that it's possible and that we can do this together,” Dammarell said.
The film showcases real stories of preparedness following the Darlene three Fire. It features a hands-on demonstration project where participants cleared brush, thinned trees, created defensible space zones, increased resistance to embers and learned National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) guided techniques to protect homes.
Volunteers, agencies and contractors applied practical fuel reduction methods at a selected residential site. This work included clearing dead vegetation, pruning, installing gravel buffers, home hardening and planting fire-resistant landscaping.
Workshops on creating defensible space, expert talks, free home assessments and take-home resources helped equip attendees with actionable knowledge. The May 30 event drew strong participation, fostered new partnerships with the community and inspired follow-up home projects across Newberry Country.
The initiative received support in part from a $10,000 grant from the NFPA. Matching funding was provided through the Newberry Regional Partnership. This reflects DSAT's ongoing commitment to wildfire preparedness through education, mitigation and sustained volunteer efforts.
DSAT works to foster resilient communities in Newberry Country, Ore. It focuses on collaborative action teams addressing issues such as wildfire preparedness and defensible space.
Community members can request a home assessment, attend a future event or learn how to take a defensible space step this week by visiting the Newberry Regional Partnership website.
