The February 2026 DSAT (Defensible Space Action Team) Work Session brought together 24 participants from 15 organizations to strengthen community wildfire resilience in southern Deschutes and northern Klamath counties. The group focused on three main objectives: creating consistent outreach messaging, identifying ways to help neighborhoods become FireWise, and improving coordination around fire mitigation projects. Framed within the broader Fire Adapted Communities approach, DSAT emphasized its niche in resident mitigation (defensible space and home hardening), partnerships and outreach, and selected landscape treatments to complement other regional efforts.
A major portion of the workshop explored how to tailor wildfire preparedness messaging to different communities—Northern Klamath County, Three Rivers, Sunriver, and La Pine—recognizing that values, communication channels, and trusted messengers vary. Across communities, common themes included concern about insurance availability and costs, strong interest in protecting property and natural surroundings, and the importance of neighbor-to-neighbor communication. Trusted sources such as local fire departments, community leaders, HOAs, and road districts were repeatedly identified as effective messengers. Key messages that resonated included the idea that defensible space functions as “insurance,” that shared risk requires shared action, and that mitigation can directly protect lives and property.
Implementation discussions highlighted that forming a FireWise neighborhood typically requires at least eight engaged property owners and some level of collective buy-in, especially for funding opportunities. GIS mapping was introduced to help prioritize high-risk areas and make outreach more manageable. Takeaways showed a mix of excitement and cautious overwhelm, with next steps including developing clearer outreach systems, tracking interested neighborhoods, inviting additional fire leaders, and possibly creating a localized FireWise quick-start guide. Overall, the session advanced clarity on how DSAT and partners can move from ideas to coordinated, community-based action.
