2019 FireFree program reports record disposal numbers
Recovering from severe weather earlier this year and preparing for fire season, residents are taking action to create defensible spaces on their properties.
Through FireFree, a Project Wildfire program in Deschutes County, people reduced hazardous fuels for free this spring, saving a $4 per cubic yard disposal cost.
Since FireFree’s inception in 1999, over 498,000 cubic yards have been collected in Central Oregon during the spring free yard debris recycling days. That’s the equivalent of filling 4,980 semi-trucks with yard debris over the past 20 years.
This spring, La Pine, Sisters and Sunriver set record highs for their collection totals. Overall, every site collected more debris than last year. The following table shows the year over year comparison.
Collection Site
Dates
Cubic yards collected
% Change from prior year
2018
Knott Landfill
May 4 -12
21,244
22
17,441
Westside
May 4 -5 & 11-12
2,404
3
2,333
La Pine
May 17 -18
3,350
124
1,498
Redmond
May 17 -18
1,498
12
1,335
Sisters
May 17 -18
1,631
19
1,375
Sunriver
May 3 -4
1,106
18
939
Madras
April 27 -28 & May 4 -5
1,238
51
818
Prineville
April 27th
439
16
378
Crescent
May 31 – June 1
424
Chemult
May 31 – June 1
10
Total for Spring ALL Counties
32,910
24
26,551
This Friday and Saturday, FireFree days wrap up for the spring in Central Oregon with Crescent and Chemult hosting free drop-off sites. FireFree would not be possible without the support of public agencies, private businesses and individuals. A list of partners and more information on creating defensible space is available online at www.firefree.org.
