Fall FireFree half-price yard debris disposal runs Oct. 30-Nov. 6 at Knott Landfill

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Beginning Saturday, Oct. 30, Deschutes Recycling is offering residents an opportunity to recycle their yard debris at half-price, only $2 per cubic yard. The special fall FireFree event will run through Saturday, Nov. 6 at Knott Landfill in Bend.

Residents are encouraged to improve the defensible space around their homes and other structures by participating in the half-price yard debris recycling event. With wildfire and defensible space on all of our minds, now is a great time to increase your wildfire preparedness.

The FireFree program helps residents by reducing the cost of their fall clean up and maintenance of their defensible space. It’s made possible through a generous partnership with Deschutes Recycling, part of Republic Services. 

By bringing grass clippings, brush, plant prunings, pine needles, pine cones, weeds, trimmings and branches, stumps or trees less than 12 inches in diameter to Deschutes Recycling during this event, residents can help make Central Oregon more resilient to wildfire.

Residents are particularly encouraged to removed flammable shrubbery next to their homes as scientific research shows that this vegetation is commonly the cause of home loss during wildfires.

Residents can also use this event as an alternative to fall burning. Burning yard debris is not allowed inside the city limits of Bend. Outside of Bend city limits, residents should call their local fire department’s burn information line to find out if burning is allowed.

FireFree encourages residents to take action to reduce the damage from wildfires in Deschutes County. For more information about FireFree, call Project Wildfire at (541)322-7129.

Visit the FireFree website at www.firefree.org for detailed event information and defensible space tips to reduce the structural vulnerability of homes.