Bend not on list for defensible space incentives, but free yard debris disposal still helps residents

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With the warming weather and spring just around the corner, its time to start thinking about creating your home’s defensible space. 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal recently released information about a statewide defensible space incentive program, unfortunately Bend residents were not selected as recipients, though nine other communities on the High Desert did make the list for residents to seek incidentives. For those outside of Bend, check their website for participating communities. www.oregondefensiblespace.org

But there’s still other ways to get assistance in creating your defensible space throughout Central Oregon,
Bend Fire & Rescue Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki noted.

Over the past 25-plus years, FireFree has been a tri-county wide program to help support homeowners and residents remove brush and vegetation from their properties to build defensible space. Learn more at www.firefree.org. 

Learn about the steps you can take to reduce the risk of wildfire around your home, ranging from cleaning up your property to what vegetation to plant and how your home can defend itself with different building construction methods.

As an incentive to reducing the vegetation around your home, Project Wildfire and FireFree partner with Deschutes County Department of Solid Waste and Republic Services Recycling to provide FREE yard debris disposal at Knott Landfill and local transfer stations. 

Bring in your yard debris and dispose of it for free. Each year, tens of thousands of yards of material is collected at the sites. All that material collected means less that can catch fire around homes in our communities.

There are a few limitations to what can be brought: no dirt, large stumps, or material with rocks in it. All the material is ground up to use as ground over and compost. 

• Knott Landfill 61055 SE 27^th St – May 3^rd – 12^th (7am to 430pm daily)
• Negus Transfer Station 2400 NE Maple Ave Redmond May 31^st – June 8^th (8am to 4pm Mon-Sat)
• Northwest Transfer Station 68200 Fryrear Rd, Sisters May 31^st – June 8^th (8am to 4pm Thurs-Sat)

Bend Fire & Rescue also provides free home defensible space assessments for anyone living in our response area. Derlacki said, "We can help you as an individual homeowner or help provide guidance for your HOA or neighborhood on ways to lessen the threat of wildfire in your community. To schedule an appointment, please call our office at 541-322-6300."