Carson City Green Waste Collection Day to reduce threat of wildfire

The Carson City Fire Department is holding an event on Saturday so local residents can create defensible space around their homes and other structures and improve the chance of their homes surviving wildfire.

Residents can bring pine needles, pine cones, branches and other vegetation to Carson River Park, located at 5013 Carson River Road, during Green Waste Collection Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The disposal service is free and is intended to help residents prepare their home for potential wildfire.

Dumpsters will be provided as part of a service made possible by the fire department and in cooperation with Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month.

“Proper defensible space is a key component in homes surviving wildfire. Prepare now, wildfire knows no season,” said Rodd Rummel, Carson City wildland fuels management officer.

The fire department said defensible space has the following three key zones:

Noncombustible Area

Create a noncombustible area at least five feet wide around the base of your home. This area needs to have a low potential for ignition from flying embers.

Use irrigated herbaceous plants (lawn, ground cover and flowers), rock mulches, or hard surfaces (concrete, brick and pavers) in this area.

Keep it free of woodpiles, wood mulches, dead plants, dried leaves and needles, flammable shrubs (sagebrush and juniper) and debris.

Lean, Clean and Green Area

For a distance of at least 30 feet from the home, there should be a lean, clean and green area.

Lean indicates only a small amount of flammable vegetation, if any, is present within 30 feet of the house.

Clean means there’s no accumulation of dead vegetation or flammable debris within the area.

Green denotes plants located within this area are kept healthy, green and irrigated during fire season.

For most homeowners, the lean, clean and green area is the residential landscape. This area often has irrigation, contains ornamental plants and is routinely maintained.

Wildland Fuel Reduction Area

This area usually lies beyond the residential landscape area and is where sagebrush, cheatgrass, pinyon and other wild plants grow. Within this area, remove all dead vegetation (dead shrubs, dried grass and fallen branches); thin out thick shrubs and trees to create a separation between them; and prevent ladder fuels by removing low tree branches, and removing or pruning any shrubs under the tree.

For additional tips on creating a defensible space, go to LivingWithFire.info.