HONOLULU (KHON2) -- A community effort in Kaimuki is working to clear overgrown vegetation around a key park to reduce wildfire risk. However, they're facing challenges with participation and limited resources, and they know time is of the essence. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Mau'umae Nature Park is nestled above Kaimuki. The serene green space is beloved by neighboring residents. But with the park comes wildfire risk, and managing the overgrown vegetation around the area has taken on new urgency following the devastating Lahaina wildfire. "There's a whole bunch of greenery or foliage that becomes really brown and, you know, fire-starting types that, one day, might really cause a problem," said Lori Yamada, Director of EnVision Kaimuki. "Like in the 1970s, there was a brush fire that burned 29 acres and destroyed five houses. And in 1995, there was another fire, but they put it out within one hour." The nonprofit group EnVision Kaimuki is leading a grassroots effort to create a plan to tackle vegetation management from two fronts: the park and private property. "You will see some properties that are obscured by high growth. That means that parks and recreation property is encroaching very close, and they're at great risk," explained Lot Lau, a longtime Kaimuki resident and Volunteer Coordinator with EnVision Kaimuki. Old Bowl-o-Drome gives way to groundbreaking project for Native Hawaiian Housing City officials and the fire department are on board, but EnVision Kaimuki said convincing homeowners to take action has been difficult. "Everyone has their own set of priorities. It's only a minority who think of this as something that is really high on their list," said Lau. The group has put together information to show residents how to create a 30-foot defensible space around their property and how to make improvements to harden their homes against fire. They hope their multi-phase plan will serve as a template any other neighborhood can use. And they're working against time, knowing that after the rainy season, there will be more growth to manage. Despite the challenges, volunteers remain optimistic. "It is approved and it's going to happen, but we don't know when. So, hopefully, people can just do it now before it's too late," said Yamada. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For more information on EnVision Kaimuki, visit www.kaimukihawaii.com.