Plumas County Fire Safe Council
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County-Wide Chipping Program

The chipping program is available for Plumas County residents. 
Program funding has been made available from a CAL FIRE California Climate Investment Fire Prevention grant.

An application can be filled out by clicking one of the buttons below:
online application >
downloadable Application >
2021 Chipping Schedule: TBD
When to Expect Chipping Services:
Service Area:
TBD
TBD
If you don't see your community on the schedule contact the program manager, Gary Parque at 530-283-0829 to determine the week that you can be included.

The Community Chipping Program operates strictly during the weeks scheduled for each community.  Each parcel owner can participate on a first come first served basis.  Preparing your piles well in advance of the chipping date is recommended.  Don't stack piles within your defensible space.  If the chipping service is delayed you don't want dry material next to your home during fire season.

Guidelines:

The Plumas County Fire Safe Council provides no-cost chipping for up to 16 linear feet of material that is no more than 4 feet in depth (height of the pile).  No material in excess of this amount will be chipped by this program.  If your pile is in excess of the allotted amount, the operator will either leave the additional material unchipped or processing will cost $100/hour for the additional work.  It is necessary that individual pieces be no shorter than 3 feet in length and it is preferable that they are no longer than 12 feet.

To ensure that your piles are chipped:
  • Build neat piles with all cut ends facing toward the street
  • Make sure that your piles contain no rocks, metal, mud, poison oak, scotch broom, vines, blackberries, or building materials
  • Locate piles on level ground, or on the uphill side of the road, outside of drainages
  • Build piles in areas that can be easily accessed with a truck
  • Include only materials that are longer than 3 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
  • Large diameter materials that will not fit through the chipper opening – please cut material that cannot be easily compacted so that it is no wider than 12”
  • Short pieces that will endanger the chipper operators
  • Piles constructed with mechanical assistance (i.e. with a tractor)

      Before:

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   After:

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Example of a well built pile:
Picture
The Plumas County Fire Safe Council provides chipping services:
as an alternative to pile burning - benefiting air quality and reducing risk of escapes
as an alternative to dumping - reducing costs and hauling for residents and keeping green waste out of landfills
as an alternative to no action - incentivizing the creation and maintenance of defensible space
Picture
Picture
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If you would like to make a tax-deducible donation to support an annual Chipping Program please send a check to Plumas County Fire Safe Council, Attention: Hannah Hepner, PO Box 1225, Quincy CA 95971
Alternatively you can use the secure PayPal button below
(please note that PayPal reserves a portion of your donation)
Click Below to Download:
Picture
Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space
Contact Gary Parque:
c/o Plumas County Fire Safe Council
P.O. Box 1225, Quincy, CA 95971 
530-927-5335 (FAX:  283-5465)
Email: gary@plumascorporation.org
The Plumas County Fire Safe Council provides this program with funding from the CAL FIRE California Climate Investment Fire Prevention Fund

Plumas County Fire Safe Council
PO Box 1225
Quincy, CA 95971  
​(530) 927-5294

  • Home
  • Calendar
  • About Us
    • Meet the Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Meetings
    • Press Releases
  • Assistance Opportunities
    • Application for Services
    • Senior Disabled Assistance
    • Chipping
    • Plumas Underburn Co-op
    • More Information
  • Fire and Emergency Preparedness
    • Living with Fire
    • Understanding Your Fire Protection
    • Personal Preparedness
    • Defensible Space
    • Wildfire Evacuation
    • Animal Evacuation
    • Home Safety Fact Sheets
    • Insurance
    • Case Studies
  • Fire and Fuels Reduction
  • Firewise USA
  • Info For Contractors
  • Maps
  • Links & Resources
    • Wildfire Planning Documents
  • Contact Us
  • Recognition Program
    • Recipients