FireFree events begin; free yard debris disposal

Last year’s fire season is fresh in many Central Oregon resident’s minds. Fire season is just around the corner and now is the time for Central Oregonians to prepare their home for fire season.

Across the state and in Deschutes County, fire departments and organizations are encouraging residents to learn about living in Fire Adapted Communities and take steps to reduce the threat of wildfire destroying lives and homes. There have already been events in Jefferson and Crook County with many more opportunities all over central Oregon for residents to take advantage of.

The participation by residents in local FireFree events is moving the needle towards a safer central Oregon. Central Oregon residents will get a jump on fire season by capitalizing on this valuable campaign when they bring their flammable yard debris to area collection sites for FREE!

Fire science tells us that if you have created and maintained a defensible/survivable space around your home, it has an 80% chance of surviving a wildfire without fire department assistance. Those are great odds and FireFree urges residents to take that bet and get prepared for the upcoming wildfire season.

Now is the time to clean up your yards and create defensible spaces around homes and recycle that debris at FireFree collection sites FOR FREE in Crook, Deschutes, Klamath, and Jefferson Counties. Please note this will be the last year the current Westside Collection Site on Simpson Avenue in Bend will be available to residents. Take advantage of the Westside Site during the 2018 FireFree event to make the tenth and final year the best one yet!

“Residents in central Oregon are no strangers to wildfire and continue to show an increasing level of awareness by participating in FireFree Recycling events,” says Alison Green, Program Director of Project Wildfire. “To prepare for fire season, FireFree encourages residents to create and maintain their defensible space and take advantage of offers for free disposal of that yard debris,” adds Green.

The greatest risk of homes catching fire during a wildland fire event is from the advancing embers or “fire brands” that reach your property long before an actual flame front.

With this in mind, FireFree reminds you to take a look around your property in the “home ignition zone” where glowing embers can ignite spot fires and vulnerable areas like decks, patios and fences that can spread flames to your home. And take advantage of upcoming FireFree Recycling Events to dispose of the debris for FREE:

Saturday, May 5 THROUGH Sunday, May 13, 7 am to 5pm, at Knott Landfill in Bend

Fridays & Saturdays, May 4 & 5 and May 11 & 12, 8am to 4pm, at the Westside Collection Site in Bend.

19755 SW Simpson Ave.

2018 will be the last opportunity to use this site for FireFree

Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19, 8 am to 4pm, at Deschutes County Transfer Sites:

Negus Transfer Station in Redmond

Northwest Transfer Station in Cloverdale (Sisters)

Southwest Transfer Station in La Pine

Friday & Saturday May 4 & 5, 8 am to 4 pm, at the Sunriver Compost Site in Sunriver.

Saturday & Sunday, May 5 & 6 at Box Canyon Transfer Site in Madras.

Please remember to cover your loads! Drivers of uncovered loads and loads that lose debris along the roadways are subject to a large fine. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be on patrol during the Free Recycle Days.

For participating residents, please note that sod, manure, lumber or other wood products and land clearing debris are not permitted free of charge during these clean up days. They will be accepted for disposal at Knott Landfill although regular rates for these materials will apply.

Visit the FireFree website at www.firefree.org for more information about how you can prepare your property for wildfire season.