This Friday, May 20, free residential green waste disposal for Nevada County residents kicks off at the Truckee Rodeo Grounds from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Personnel from the Town of Truckee, Truckee Fire Protection District, Nevada County, and Fire Safe Council of Nevada County will be on site to help with traffic flow and to keep the program running smoothly.

Every year homeowners are encouraged to create and maintain defensible space as this is the single best thing residents can do to protect their property from wildfire. Building a buffer between a structure and the grasses, trees, and shrubs that surround it is key to slowing or stopping a wildfire. Defensible space helps protect homes while providing greater safety for firefighters who may need to take a stand to defend property.

With seven of the top 10 most destructive wildfires in recorded history having occurred since 2020, defensible space is more important now than ever before. Continued dry conditions and above normal temperatures are predicted to lead to lower fuel moisture levels and higher fire risk this year. On Monday, Cal Fire entered the declared fire season for 2022 and this week parts of Nevada County will see the first Red Flag Warning of the year.

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Significant amounts of vegetative debris were generated during the winter storm of early 2022, and as we move into the warmer months it is critical to remove this material before it becomes a fire hazard. Residents are reminded to complete defensible space activities safely by being mindful of weather conditions, including avoiding using equipment that may cause a spark during high fire danger. Taking advantage of the free green waste events is a great way to complete clean-up efforts.

“Green waste events in Western Nevada County were overwhelmingly successful, with residents dropping off over 7,000 loads of material – equivalent in weight to 450 school buses” says Nevada County Office of Emergency Services Program Manager, Paul Cummings. A second set of events held by Waste Management served over 200 customers who dropped off 92 tons of material. The County is hoping for a similar outcome in Truckee.

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The free Truckee green waste events will take place in May and June. Please limit loads to 3-yards per trip. To facilitate unloading, position a tarp on the bottom of the truck bed or trailer before loading the material. No commercial green waste, bags, rounds larger than 24 inches, stumps, rocks, boards, and trash.

The Free Residential Green Waste Program is a partnership between the County of Nevada, Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, Town of Truckee, Truckee Fire Protection District, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal, and the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District.

Source: Nevada County