Fuel Reduction Programs
2013 Defensible Space Hazardous Fuel Reduction Programs
The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council has received federal grants for:
- A Defensible Space Chipping Program for eligible residents, and
- A Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) for seniors and/or others with physical and financial limitations which prevent them from preparing for chipping.
For more on Defensible Space, see Living With Fire in Santa Clara County.
More information on our programs is below. Questions? E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (408) 975-9591.
Defensible Space Chipping Program
SCFSC will chip brush that has been cleared 100’ from permanent structures and/or 30’ from any roadside or driveway used for evacuation purposes. Piles to be chipped must be hand stacked. We cannot chip machine stacked piles.
Try our new online Chipping Application. If you have an older Web Browser or problems with this this application, please use the PDF version below. To report problems, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Or, download the PDF version of our Chipping Application.
More Information
Download a PDF description of our Fuel Reduction Programs.
After your project is completed, use our new online Fuel Reduction Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we did.
Or, if you prefer, download our Fuel Reduction Programs Satisfaction Survey (PDF File) to let us know how we did.
Safety Considerations
Please observe the following safety precautions when you are creating Defensible Space around your home or preparing material for our Defensible Space Chipping Programs, especially during Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches:
- Power equipment should be operated only before 10:00 AM or after 6:00 PM (and NEVER during extremely dry conditions).
- Never use lawn mowers in dry vegetation.
- Be careful to avoid rocks, stones and metal objects which could cause a spark and start a fire.
- Spark arresters are required in wildland areas on all portable gasoline powered equipment.
- Keep a hose or water fire extinguisher nearby.
- Stay 30 minutes after work is complete to ensure no fires have started.
Additional safety information and precautions
Additional safety information from Pacific Gas and Electric Company
University of Nevada Report on Mulch Combustibility.
Spread chips thinly and not too close to homes or structures.
SCFSC Guidelines for Fuel Reduction Contractors
Special Needs Assistance Program
SCFSC will provide Defensible Space cleanup and chipping for Santa Clara County Residents who are physically unable to clear their property, have no other person to assist in the clearance and cannot afford to hire a contractor to do the work.
Federal Grant Environmental Clearances
SCFSC Defensible Space Chipping Programs are funded by Federal Grants and other contributions. Environmental clearance are provided by the federal agencies involved in these grants.
General Hazardous Fuel Reduction Guidelines
- Don’t destroy any active bird nests of any size.
- Don’t work near any large active nests, such as eagle nests (3-4 feet diameter or more).
- Work can be done around (greater than 100 feet from) smaller active nests.
- Limbs and trees with and around inactive nests of any size can be removed.
- The safest time of the year for vegetation disturbing work is from September through December; the general Breeding-Fledge Season in our area is March through August.
Santa Clara County Endangered Species
Habitat descriptions and recommendations for chipping and clearing activities where threatened or endangered species may exist.
Lexington Hills Environmental Clearances
The Lexington Hills Hazardous Fuel Reduction Environmental Clearance Summary below illustrates and provides references for additional environmental considerations for our Lexington Hills grants. The next two links are the Lexington Hills environmental clearance documents.