Fire Safe Marin will sponsor Chipper Days in Nicasio October 21-22, in cooperation with Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department to help residents improve Defensible Space and reduce fire hazards in Marin. Funding for this program is provided by Fire Safe Marin, Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department, PG&E, and a cooperative grant from the US Forest Service.
Dear Nicasio Neighbors,
To help reduce the risk posed by wildfire, Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department is
pleased to announce that we’ve been awarded a “chipper grant” from Fire Safe Marin. With a match from NVFD, this grant will pay for a mobile crew to chip and, if needed, haul away fuels that residents cut to create or maintain defensible space around their homes.
Chipping will take place on Oct 21st and 22nd, so you have about 3 weeks to do the work required. Important Note: With current funding, we anticipate being able to service approximately 30 homes, depending on the amount of materials to chip. If you plan to participate, please register so we can plan the best schedule for the crew. If you have more than 10 cubic yards of material please email us below.
It’s not too late to reduce the risk of wildfire to our community and we hope you’ll take part. Register now at the link below. Funds permitting, our goal is to make this an annual or bi-annual program with the work to take place earlier in the fire season.
Thank you!
Eric Blantz,
Chief, Nicasio Volunteer Fire Dept.
Defensible Space Chipper Program
Here is an opportunity to improve your property’s defensible space against wildland fire threat. Cut your brush and bring it to the roadside (or along a driveway if there is sufficient room for the truck and chipper to turn around). Crews will chip up to 10 cubic yards of material and, if possible, broadcast chips on site, or remove for composting. NVFD and Fire Safe Marin are co-sponsoring this program.
The chipper will be coming through on
Monday/Tuesday October 21-22, 2014
(Please have materials out by the evening of October 20th)
Participation Guidelines
- You are allowed a maximum of 10 cubic yards of material (approximately 5-feet high by 5-feet wide by 10-feet long). The intent of this program is to serve smaller clearing projects to create defensible space aroung homes and structures, and is not intended to support larger tree or clearing work more than 100′ from homes or 15′ from roadways.
- Stack brush and tree limbs loosely (woody material with maximum diameter of 6 inches) on the roadside with cut ends facing out towards the road. The roadway must be kept clear and the site must be accessible to the chipper.
- Bushy limbs do not need to be trimmed prior to chipping.
- Neighbors can combine efforts and share a location.
- The following will NOT BE ACCEPTED: vines (blackberry; poison oak; etc.). Do not include dirt, rocks or plastic debris bags. If found, these will not be collected. 100 FEET of DEFENSIBLE SPACE *Compliance to California PRC 4291 is required. Fire safety for your property means having an area around your house free of debris and with properly managed vegetation – this improves the chances your house will survive a wildland fire. 1. Lean, Clean and Green Zone: Clear 30 feet immediately surrounding your home to reduce flammable vegetation. 2. Reduced Fuel Zone: What is necessary in the next 70 feet (or to property line) depends on the slope and the vegetation.
For more info on defensible space, visit www.firesafemarin.org
Questions? Have more than 10 cubic yards of material? Send email to INFO@NICASIOFIRE.ORG.
REGISTER HERE
Funding for this program was provided in part by the Cooperative Fire Program of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Pacific Southwest Region, through the California Fire Safe Council and Fire Safe Marin. In accordance with federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Not all prohibited basis apply to all programs.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whittten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employee.
