PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - In neighborhoods where the city meets the forest, Portland residents are taking steps to protect their homes from wildfire while a new fire bureau official works to unite community efforts.

Northwest Portland resident Nora Gruber lives near Forest Park, an area fire officials call the “wildland urban interface.” She and her neighbors have worked with the city on efforts to trim vegetation and clear invasive plants to reduce fire risk.

“We come out here with loppers, we come out here with trimmers,” Gruber said. “We try to get rid of this invasive growth, this vegetative fuel that would connect the canopy from the ground, and also the trees to each other. Then we haul it away.”

Her neighbor, Audrey Yue, said wildfire prevention requires a collective approach.

“As

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