Free Community Chipping Program now available to Niwot neighborhoods

The unimaginably tragic Marshall Fire at the end of 2021 alerted Coloradans to the increasing risks of natural disasters, not only in the mountains, but also in the flatlands. Earlier this month the windstorm in which 150,000 Front Range Xcel customers were without power for over 24 hours caused considerable damage to both businesses and homes.

These events remind us of the importance of preventing or reducing the damage to our properties from wildfires, high winds, and heavy snowfalls which sweep through our region. Fortunately, Boulder County has additional resources for new and expanded programs to assist property owners and neighborhoods in mitigating some of those risks.

A 2022 Boulder County ballot measure to increase funding for wildfire mitigation programs and projects received 72% approval. Of particular importance to eastern Boulder County, including Niwot, is that programs that had been available to only the foothill and mountain areas would be extended to the rest of the county.

Wildfire Partners is the county-funded entity which manages the fire mitigation programs. In the plains, programs are primarily geared to neighborhoods, rather than to individual property owners, because protecting scattered individual plots is ineffective in dense neighborhoods. Not only do natural disasters not respect property borders, they can gain strength and increase damage as they move across residential areas.

At the beginning of April, Wildfire Partners launched the Community Chipping Program. Zack Bertges is the Chipping Coordinator for Wildfire Partners, as well as a volunteer firefighter for the Four Mile Fire Protection District. Incidents like the windstorm may result in an increase in inquiries about mitigation programs. However, Bertges emphasized that their success requires "ongoing concern and a willingness to mitigate."

Taking part in the Chipping Program is free. It requires that one person in the neighborhood serve as the "Host" and at least five households participate. The group selects one of nine county-approved chipping contractors. Slash, or dry branches and debris, must be bundled and carried to the street. The chipper collects and processes the slash piles on an agreed-upon date. The slash is then transported by the chippers to six farms in Gunbarrel for use as animal bedding or for private road repair.

Full details on how a neighborhood can organize a chipping event can be found at https://wildfirepartners.org/chipping-program/

In the near future, Wildfire Partners hopes to be able to expand its chipping services at community events, such as te Niwot Community Association's Clean Up Day.