Chipper Program
Since 2003, the Butte County Fire Safe Council's No-Cost Chipper Program has helped residents reduce wildfire risk across the county.
This grant-funded program makes it easier for landowners to create and maintain defensible space around homes, roadways, and properties. This long-standing, county-wide service supports wildfire-ready communities in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and encourages proactive, year-round preparedness.
How to Use the Chipper Program
Submit Your Request
Fill out the online intake form with your property information and estimated pile sizes.
Prepare Your Piles
Stack brush and limbs in accessible locations along your driveway or roadside, following our guidelines.
We Chip Your Piles
Our chipper crew will process your piles at no cost, leaving the chips for you to use or haul away.
To ensure your piles are chipped:
- • Stack limbs with cut ends facing the road/driveway
- • Limbs must be no larger than 8 inches in diameter
- • Piles must be no taller than 4 feet in height and no longer than 10 feet in length
- • Piles must be easily accessible, 5 feet from the road or landowner's driveway, and out of public right-of-ways (gutters, alleys, easements, tree strips, sidewalks, etc.)
- • Piles must be kept away from structures, fences, and power lines
- • Keep piles at least 6 feet from power poles
- • Remove any wire, nails, or debris from piles
Our program is NOT able to chip:
- • Lumber, treated wood, or construction debris
- • Stumps or root balls
- • Poison oak or other hazardous plants
- • Material with wire, nails, or hardware
- • Blackberry, ivy, or other vines
- • Large pieces of bark not attached to branches
- • Piles that have not been pre-approved
Apply for the BCFSC's No-Cost Chipper Program
Chipper Intake FormTrack Your Match Hours
Your vegetation management work contributes to grant match requirements that help us continue offering no-cost program services. Track your hours to support BCFSC's mission.
Before submitting your match hour form:
- • The form is filled out for only one individual (no groups or pairs on one sheet)
- • Each line is for an individual date, not a range of dates
- • The form is signed and dated by the individual completing the work
* If the above are not followed, we will need to contact you for edits before we can count the hours.