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Reduce your property’s fire risk with the FireSmart Community Chipping Program

Home > Our community > News & events > News > Reduce your property’s fire risk with the FireSmart Community Chipping Program
April 4, 2024

News Release

Pick up requests are now open for the 2024 FireSmartTM Community Chipping Program, helping Kelowna homeowners reduce the risk of wildfire impacts on their properties.

“Last summer’s event demonstrated the very real threat that travelling embers pose in our fight against wildfires,“ says Peter Stantic, Fire Mitigation Captain. “Helping to remove hazardous vegetation and woody debris from your property, especially within 10 metres of your home, is a key step of limiting that fuel source and reducing your risk. This helps protect you, your family, your neighbourhood and our community as whole.” 

The program is open to all Kelowna residents, however available dates fill up quickly so residents are encouraged to act fast:

  1. Visit kelowna.ca/firesmart to find tips and resources to prepare your home and yard for fire season. 
  2. The chipper truck will be available for free scheduled pick-ups from May 1 – 31, 2024 and you can reserve your chipping pick-up date online now. 
  3. Prior to your scheduled pick-up week, be sure to clean up your property and pile any flammable debris at your curb. Visit kelowna.ca/firesmart for tips on preparing accepted materials properly for chipping.

The Community Chipping Program is only available for eligible highly flammable materials, which includes cedar, juniper, mugo pine, and fir, pine and spruce branches. Debris will not be picked up if it contains broadleaf (deciduous) trees, roots, dirt, rocks, gravel, grasses, or other non-organic materials (e.g., rope, twine). 

Find additional information about FireSmart landscaping and how to reduce risks of wildfire impacts on privately owned property in the BC FireSmartTM Homeowner’s Guide (printed copies are available at the City of Kelowna Parks Administration Office, 1359 KLO Road). 

While the Community Chipping program seeks to address residential properties, the Regional District of Central Okanagan’s agricultural chipping program and the mow/chip/rent-buy-it rebate supports residential/farmers/orchardists with the rental or purchase cost up to $3,000 to chip or flail mow wood waste (stumps and branches). To be eligible, the property size must be 1 ha or greater and be located within the Central Okanagan. Learn more at rdco.com. 

The Community Chipping Program is funded with support from the province through the Community Resiliency Investment program. FireSmartTM BC is a collaboration between several provincial and federal agencies, designed to empower the public and increase neighbourhood resilience to the impacts of wildfire.  For more information and to request dates for chipping pick-up, visit kelowna.ca/firesmart.