The San Juan Island Fire Department, in conjunction with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, is offering the 2017 Firewise Communities Chipper Program.

Any Firewise community can rent the chipper, free of charge except for gas, from March 1 through May 26. All other fees are paid by the department and a grant from WA DNR.

The Firewise program, created by the National Fire Protection Association, encourages local communities and homeowners to work collectively and individually to protect their homes from the risk of wildfire. San Juan Island Fire and Rescue supports this program to reduce the chance of home ignitions and increase firefighter safety if there was a major wildland fire on the island.

By reducing fuels within 30 feet of your home and removing ladder fuels, branches and brush that would allow a fire to move from the ground, up into the tree canopy, your are one step closer to protecting your home in the event of fire.

Other ways to make you home Firewise include cleaning gutters and properly storing firewood.

Read tips at www.firewise.org. If you are a recognized Firewise community and are interested in using the chipper to clean up your properties, contact Harbor Rental and Saw Shop at 378-2220 to arrange the rental.

Participants are asked to inform the fire department of how many hours they spend on the project; these hours may also be used toward completing their community’s 2017 Firewise renewal.

For information about the chipper program, contact Ron Garner at rggarner@centurytel.net or 378-7722.