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Dry Creek/Lokoya Chipper Days
May 23 - 27 & 31, 2005

Wildlife Awareness Week Community Forum

The Napa County Firewise group, in cooperation with the Mt. Veeder Fire Safe Council, is sponsoring a chipper program for the dates of May 23-27, 31, 2005. The Firewise group is a cooperative effort by The California Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection, Napa County Fire, and Napa City Fire Departments and manages public and grant funding contributions to deliver fire prevention programs to the citizens of Napa County.

We know the area in which we live is prone to danger from wildland fires. The public resources code 4291 is the California State Law that requires a defensible space be provided around existing structures and is the best defense in helping to protect your property from the spread and destruction of wildland fires. Napa County ordinance also requires that driveways be cleared 10 feet wide, 15 feet high, along with 10 feet of defensible space on both sides for the length of the road.

The residents of Dry Creek/Lokoya are encouraged to take advantage of this free service to clear a defensible space around your homes; outbuildings, thin out underbrush, remove dead limbs from trees, and remove dead or dying vegetation. This service is intended to create a 30 to 100 foot defensible space around your home and is not to be used for property or lot clearing.

The program will be implemented as follows: The property owner or resident is responsible for creating their defensible space using fire safe practices as outlined in the attachment ("Are you doing the right thing the wrong way"). The property owner or resident will bring their cuttings to the end of their driveway at the county road and pile it as per the instructions below. A crew from Of The Woods Tree Service will come by, feed the cuttings into the chipper and cast the chips onto the ground. . If it is not feasible for the property owner to pile the brush at the county road on their property then the cuttings can be stacked at the nearest turnout on the county road. All participants need to have their cuttings piled no later than Sunday, May 22, 2005, in order to take advantage of this service.

1. 1. Residents must call the Napa Firewise Chipper Hotline at (707) 967-1410 and provide the requested information including your assessors parcel number (APN#), which can be found on your tax bill.
2. Bring material to be chipped to the road by the date indicated.
3. Pile the cuttings with the cut end toward the road and the crown or leafy part toward the house. NOTE: The chipper will only take stock that is 1/2 inch - 6 inches in diameter.
4. The chipper WILL NOT ACCEPT vine material such as poison oak, black berry bushes, garbage or anything that will bind up in the machinery.
5. Unacceptable material will be left behind for the resident to dispose of.
   

If you have any further questions please contact, Shelly Engleman, Napa Firewise Coordinator at (707) 967-1426 or sengleman@cityofnapa.org.

The Mt. Veeder fire safe council in conjunction with the Dry Creek-Lokoya Volunteer Fire Department is presenting a community forum with pot luck lunch on Saturday, May 21 beginning at 1:00 at the main firehouse located at 5900 Dry Creek Road. Guest speakers will share valuable information on how to prevent wildfires and protect your home and lives of your families beginning at 2:00. Join us for BBQ chicken (provided by the fire department) and other pot luck items brought by the public and hear some very important information. Bring enough to feed 8. Cold bottled water also provided. Please bring any other nonalcoholic beverages of your choice. We will have expert speakers present until 4:00.

SEE YOU ON THE 21ST!