Boulder County officials said the county takes a leap forward in its commitment to community safety and environmental stewardship by launching a countywide Wildfire Partners Community Chipping Program.

The program is said to support all county residents with managing the high-risk vegetation on their properties, fostering a safer, cleaner, and more fire-resilient environment for all, according to a news release.

“The key to effective mitigation is regular maintenance. The new county-wide chipping program will help residents dispose of the hazardous fuels they are removing from their properties as part of their annual clean-up efforts,” Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzman said.

“Maintaining healthy forests and grasslands helps us to capture carbon emissions, while uncontrolled fire and desertified soils can have the opposite effect,” according to the release. “The county has had a chipping program since 1993, but this new program will dramatically increase the services we provide thanks to funding from the new wildfire mitigation sales tax.”

Boulder County recognizes the pressing need for proactive measures to reduce wildfire risk and the county chipping program is said to offer free chipping services to all residents, allowing them to dispose of slash — green branches, and brush — in a safe and sustainable manner.

“This program will empower residents to take an active role in protecting their homes and communities from wildfire threats,” Chief Bret Gibson, Four Mile Fire Protection District, said in the release. “By providing free access to professional chipping services, the program offers a convenient solution to reduce the accumulation of hazardous fuels.”

In collaboration with local fire districts and approved chipping contractors, the county chipping program fosters community engagement and public awareness about wildfire prevention. This program also emphasizes collaboration among neighbors to establish neighborhood chipping events, where groups of five or more homeowners will work together to complete the chipping event in their community.

How to Apply:

A minimum of five participating neighbors is required to host a community chipping event. At each community event, a county-approved chipping contractor will provide the chipping services and haul the chips to a partnering donation site. Learn more about the chipping program, eligibility criteria, and application and scheduling process.

About Wildfire Partners

Wildfire Partners is a nationally recognized Boulder County program designed to help residents prepare for wildfires. Technical and financial assistance is available to residents of the county through custom wildfire mitigation assessments, grant funding, educational programs, community events, and a free chipping program.

For more information, contact Zack Bertges, Wildfire Partners Chipping Coordinator, at 303-678-6168 or [email protected].