San Diego County CA — Residents in wildfire-prone communities throughout San Diego County are encouraged to take advantage of free chipping and defensible space services offered by the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County (FSCSDC). Funding for this service is provided through a $1.355 million grant from the US Forest Service, Cleveland National Forest.
To reduce fire hazard on their properties, San Diego residents are required by law to have a minimum of 100’ of defensible space around their homes. The Fire Safe Council offers two no-cost programs to help homeowners meet this requirement, improving the likelihood their homes will survive a wildland fire.
To participate in the No-Cost Chipping program, homeowners must first clear their property of overgrown and hazardous dried brush. Once the piles of cleared vegetation are ready, the homeowner can register online for the program. The FSCSDC will then schedule a trained, licensed, and insured crew to visit the property and chip vegetation on-site. Chipped materials will be left on the property and can be used as weed-suppressing mulch – an added benefit of the program.
The Defensible Space Assistance (DSAP) program, was created to help residents who are physically and financially unable to maintain the state-mandated 100’ of defensible space. Low-income seniors and disabled residents can get much needed assistance in brush and tree trimming/thinning, raking of dead leaves and vegetation, and chipping of removed vegetation (chips are left onsite).
To learn more about both of these programs and to register, San Diego residents can visit the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County website: www.firesafesdcounty.org/programs.