Newberry Regional Partnership Releases “From Risk to Ready” – A Powerful Documentary on Community Wildfire Resilience
Newberry Country, OR (June 26, 2026) – The Newberry Regional Partnership’s (NRP) today announced the release of “From Risk to Ready: A Newberry Country Defensible Space Story,” a short documentary highlighting local efforts to reduce wildfire risk through education, hands-on action, and neighbor-to-neighbor collaboration. Defensible Space Action Team (DSAT) was featured in the film and was produced by Weiss Productions LLC in partnership with NRP.
The film, produced in connection with the successful Newberry Country Wildfire Preparedness Demonstration Day held on May 30, 2026, follows homeowners, fire professionals, foresters, volunteers, and DSAT members as they transform a high-risk property and empower the community.
Watch the full documentary here:
Contact DSAT to request a home assessment, attend a future event, or learn how to take one defensible space step this week.
“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.” emphasized Monte Dammarell, DSAT Action Team Leader.
The film showcases real stories of preparedness following the Darlene 3 Fire, featuring 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.
Film and Event Highlights:
Hands-On Defensible Space Work: Volunteers, agencies and contractors applied practical fuel reduction methods, including clearing dead vegetation, pruning, installing gravel buffers, home hardening, and planting fire-resistant landscaping on a selected residential site.
Education and Engagement: Workshops on creating defensible space, expert talks, free home assessments, and take-home resources helped equip attendees with actionable knowledge.
Community Impact: The May 30 event drew strong participation, fostered new partnerships with the community, and inspired follow-up home projects across Newberry Country.
The documentary captures the spirit of the event — moving beyond fear to focus on practical steps, neighborly support, and long-term resilience in Oregon’s wildfire-prone rural landscapes. It serves as both a record of the successful demonstration and an inspiring call to action for other communities.
This initiative was supported in part by a $10,000 NFPA grant and matching funding through the Newberry Regional Partnership and reflects DSAT’s ongoing commitment to wildfire preparedness through education, mitigation, and sustained volunteer efforts.
About Newberry Regional Partnership’s Defensible Space Action Team
The Defensible Space Action Team fosters resilient communities in Newberry Country, Oregon, through collaborative action teams focused on issues such as wildfire preparedness and defensible space.