It happened in my own back yard, so to speak. About four years ago, the Orcas Highlands Association, where I live, became interested in wildfire mitigation issues because of our climate, our slope and the density of our vegetation. Since that time, we have held an annual workday in our extremely overgrown common area with the goal of reducing the wildfire threat it presents. Additionally, we have cleared the brush along our roadways and have created an opportunity for all residents to rid themselves of green waste each summer. It is picked up and chipped, and its final resting place is a nearby composting facility.

Then, just two months ago, we discovered that we were eligible for a GRANT from the county Resource & Development Council! The joy of it all! Why were we eligible? Because of our commitment, our improved mitigation level, and all the associated improvements to our community's wildfire readiness.

Did the grant help us? Oh, yes. We were able to hire a contractor to remove undergrowth and thick ladder fuels from a great swath of our as-yet-uncompleted common area. The accompanying photo shows the results of his work. To us, this means we can make even greater strides toward our Firewise goals next summer.

What we learned was that the Firewise Communities/USA process really does work, and that our neighbors notice. We had an assessment. We organized. We made a plan. We acted. We stuck with it. And we were rewarded.