Chipper Program

As of 8/30/23, The Chipper Program is only available for residents within the Camp Fire and North Complex Fire footprints. The program is on pause for the rest of the county until more grant funding is acquired. 

 

Please fill out our Chipper intake form, found here, to be added to our list for Chipper Service. If you have questions, please call our Chipper Program Manager at 530-966-6242 or send an email to Chipper@buttefiresafe.net

Updated Chipper Flyer June 6 2022

How the Chipper Program works:

Do you have fallen branches, overgrown brush, or other vegetation that needs chipping? Chipper Program is an important initiative aimed at reducing the risk of wildfires. The program provides no-cost chipping services to residents and property owners who create defensible space around their homes and clear away brush and vegetation that could potentially fuel a wildfire. The program operates throughout the year and provides an alternative to burning or hauling fire-hazardous brush.

DID YOU KNOW? The time you spend preparing for the Chipper Program can be counted as Volunteer hours for our organization! Please see our Volunteer Page for more information.

Funding provided by a National Fire Plan grant from the Cooperative Fire Program of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Pacific Southwest Region, through the California Fire Safe Council. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

To apply for the Chipper Program, please fill out our Program Intake Form here.

To ensure that your piles are chipped:

  • Build neat piles with all cut ends facing toward the street
  • Build piles in areas that can be easily accessed with a truck
  • Locate piles on level ground, or on the uphill side of the road, outside of drainages
  • Make sure that your piles contain no rocks, metal, mud, poison oak, scotch broom, vines, blackberries, or building materials
  • Include only materials that are less than 8 inches in diameter and less than 10 feet in length
  • "Loose" piles are preferable to tightly packed material.
  • Be respectful of the contractors' time

Our program is NOT able to chip:

  • Roots or decaying wood
  • Pine cones, pine needles, leaves, or yard clippings
  • Piles that are over 4 feet high or built over standing vegetation
  • Cut ends larger than 8 inches in diameter
  • Short pieces that will endanger the chipper operator
  • Orchard or Timber Harvest materials
  • Piles constructed with mechanical assistance (i.e. with a tractor)