The Napa County Fire Department (NCFD) provides a FREE chipping service to all residents who live in Atlas Peak and other unincorporated areas of Napa County.
The intent of the program is to encourage residents to comply with defensible space requirements and help reduce wildfire risk around their homes and property. This program is not intended for commercial or general land clearing activities. Follow what to do, and to avoid, then apply once all piles are ready.
What to Avoid
Piles will NOT be chipped if they contain any of the following:
- All varieties of broom
- Poison oak
- Blackberries/vines/anything with thorns
- Foreign materials/non-vegetative items (oleanders etc.) Root balls, stumps, dirt or twigs
- Piles of leaves, pine needles or yard clippings
- Heavy material on top of small material
Program Criteria
- The crew will chip up to a maximum of 3 hours on a single visit. This is approximately a pile 50’ long, 3 feet high and 10’ wide.
- This program is designed to ONLY support homeowners chip vegetation for their 100’ defensible space around structures and access routes.
- The maximum individual pile size is 50 feet long, 3 feet high by 10 feet wide (deep).
- There is no limit to the number of piles one can have chipped in a season.
- All piles must be placed along a road accessible by truck and chipper.
- Piles must also be safely accessible by the chipping crew
- Piles are required to remain on the home owner’s property (NOT public roads)
- Piles should be stacked cut end towards the road for ease of grasping for chipping.
- Stem diameter is limited to a maximum of 6 inches.
- No mechanically piled brush by tractor or dozer will be chipped.
- Piles must be limited to brush and tree limbs from the property itself
- The free chipping service is for residential use only and not for a commercial enterprise.
- If you need assistance in preparing piles to be chipped, it is recommended that you contact a tree service or landscape Maintenance Company.
- The chipping crew makes the final determination as to whether a pile complies with the aforementioned requirements and are safe to be chipped.
*** DO NOT use wood chips as decorative landscaping. All wood chips will be left on the property premises and must be kept at a distance of 100' from all structures.
Though the program is provided free to residents, the service does come at a cost which is borne by Napa County Fire Department. The program is not a landowner entitlement but a community service.
Apply Now!