Sitting serenely in the midst of a Saline County loblolly pine plantation, the Mountainside United Methodist Church is an excellent example of how nature and good Firewise practices can coexist.

The church has excellent road access for emergency vehicles. In addition, there is a large defensible space around the building. El Cano Road provides an extended defensible area for the church by serving as a firebreak between the plantation and the well-manicured area around the church.

Photos below show the how thick the undergrowth was prior to the church's construction.