The Park City Fire District’s chipping program has blossomed from a sprouting initiative into a cornerstone of fire mitigation efforts, playing a vital role in reducing wildfire risk across Summit County for more than 20 years.
In 2017, registrations used to be taken over the phone. Fire Marshal Mike Owens can still remember crews handling between 600 and 700 piles a year then. Most were 6 feet wide by 6 feet long and 6 feet tall — and if they were bigger, there was usually a fee.
The chipping program has doubled in size since then, processing about 1,200 piles a year, thanks to equipment upgrades. It’s also completely free.
Registration for the wood chipping service opened in the spring and it’s expected to run until the end of September if the weather permits. There’s one machine staffed four days a week that follows a defined route within the Park City Fire boundaries.
Homeowners who have cut back dead trees, brush or clippings from their properties can request to have the piles removed. Then the material is transformed into wood chips and disposed of.
The service helps manage and decrease fuel loads, reducing the fire risk and enhancing defensible spaces within an area. It also promotes wildfire preparedness by educating residents about fire mitigation strategies.
“A little tiny work that the single homeowner does where they cut down or trim a tree or they pull out bushes next to their house, that makes a big difference in the big picture. Even though it’s just one little spot, if you do it and your neighbor does it and your neighbor’s neighbor does it, we have a whole community doing it and that’s exactly what we’re seeing,” Owens said.
A small portion of the Park City Fire budget is allocated for the chipping service. In turn, the state has a cooperative wildfire program agreement with Park City and broader Summit County. The agreement requires the local governments to spend a certain amount of money on certain resources, including mitigation and prevention efforts like the chipping service.
In turn, the state covers the cost of an extended firefighting attack including costly air support.
The chipping program is not only a community benefit, but a key firefighting resource. It provides homeowners a convenient way to get rid of their piles while also potentially saving Park City and Summit County a significant amount of money.
“That’s not to say we don’t still bear costs, because we do. We do the initial attack and there’s man hours involved in that, equipment and all that kind of stuff,” Owens said. “When we get a fire that’s going to be a prolonged attack, that little investment pays many, many, many times back.”
Park City and Summit County are in the “home stretch” for the fire season. Fire danger was lowered from extreme to high as temperatures have started to cool down and precipitation has been falling.
However, Owens said that doesn’t mean community members should let down their guard because there’s still a chance for large fires to ignite.
For more information or to register for the service, visit pcfd.org/fire-prevention/wood-chipping.
Text SCFIREINFO to 888777 for updates on Summit County’s fire outlook and conditions, red flag warnings, prescribed burns, information on active fires and more.