The Carson City Fire Department is holding a Green Waste Collection Day this Saturday May 19, 2018 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Residents can bring pine needles, pine cones, branches and other vegetation to Carson River Park, located at 5013 Carson River Road. Green Waste Collection will give residents the opportunity to create defensible space around their structure. 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 Carson City 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.
Defensible Space has three key zones:
Noncombustible Area: Create a Noncombustible Area at least 5 feet wide around the base of your home. This area needs to have a very 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 that only a small amount of flammable vegetation, if any, is present within 30 feet of the house. Clean means there is no accumulation of dead vegetation or flammable debris within the area. Green denotes that 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.
• Prevent ladder fuels by removing low tree branches, and removing or pruning any shrubs under the tree.
