Get Ready for Chipping

Annual chipping services will be provided again this spring to property owners within the Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District.

Chipping services are provided to encourage property owners to create defensible space and provide a cost effective way to dispose of cut material. As long as property owners adhear to the posted chipping schedule (below) and place vegetation out according to the designated chipping area they are located in we will dispose of the material at no cost. The chip area map is located on the inside front cover of the newsletter that was sent out in January, on our website or by clicking here. For any questions related to which chipping area you are located in please call us at 965-5254.

March 5    - Lower Riviera
March 12  - Sycamore Canyon/Las Alturas
March 19  - Eucalyptus Hill
March 26  - Las Tunas
April 9       - San Roque/Ontare
April 23    - Las Canoas
May 7       - Sheffield/Parma
May 21     - Westmont/Circle
May 29     - Coyote Road
June 11    - West Mountain

There are very specific requirements of what can be chipped. Vegetation that does not meet these requirements will not be chipped and will be the responsibility of the property owner to dispose of.

The following chipping instructions need to be followed:

• Cut vegetation should be laid out in a pile along the street area outside of the drivable roadway.
• The cut end of all vegetation must face the street so contractors can easily handle material.
• Brush should be left in long lengths (4-7 feet). It is much easier to chip.
• Branches should be no greater than 10 inches in diameter.
• Material in plastic bags will not be picked up.Twine or string must not be used to tie vegetation.
• Rocks or other debris will not be chipped.
• Long piles OK as long as they are not over 4 feet in height.
• Old dead vegetation that has been lying around for years cannot be chipped (this type of vegetation damages chipper blades).
• Pine needles or other leaf litter cannot be chipped.
• Piles pushed or moved by mechanical means, i.e. tractor, cannot be chipped.
• Grasses, palm fronds, succulents or agaves will not be chipped.

Road Clearance Program Completed

Our annual vegetation road clearance program was another success this year. With the help of Peterson's Tree Care, a private contractor, we were able to perform vegetation road clearance on 14.5 miles of roadways throughout our district!!

All in all, the roads throughout the district are looking great. Now that every road has been treated, we are in much more of a maintenance phase with this project. Homeowners are still required, on an annual basis, to insure that their vegetation does not block the flow of traffic and that all dead vegetation is removed. Because we are on roughly a 3 year rotation we need some help with maintenance in between our visits.

This year we were able to tackle some of the bigger roadside hazard problems such as tall/overgrown hedges, dense flammable vegetation and large dead tree removals.

We appreciate all of the cooperation and patience with homeowners as we completed this work. You may find a list of the roads that were treated through this years program by visiting the WFSAD Road Clearance website.

Before - East Las Tunas Road



After - East Las Tunas Road



Stay posted for a list of the roads that will be completed starting fall of 2012. And, as always, if you feel that there is any road that should be addressed, please contact us at 564-5737

2012 WFSAD Newsletters

It has been several months since our last post. We have been out in the field and very busy with this seasons vegetation management projects. The good news about our dry winter season is that it has allowed us to make great progress on all of our projects. As we approach the upcoming bird nesting season we are completing our last final touches before we break until August. You can expect more updates, as well as features from the past three months here shortly.

In the meantime, defensible space chipping is right around the corner. Each year we see more and more property owners take advantage of this very popular program. We hope the same holds true this year. In an effort to aid you in your planning efforts, the schedule for this years project is listed inside the front cover of the annual WFSAD newsletter.

The newsletter hit mailboxes last week. In addition to the chipping schedule you will find a lot of information regarding the programs and projects provided by the district. We have also expanded our educational material regarding defensible space and fire resistant landscaping. On the inside back cover, you will notice a defensible space checklist to help you monitor your own wildfire safety.

We hope you enjoy this years newsletter and we look forward to continuing the successful project offered to you. Everyday the residence of Santa Barbara are creating a more fire safe place to live and it all starts with you!