CITY – Two more areas offered free hedge chipping to reduce fire hazard

Two more areas in Kamloops are being offered free cedar hedge chipping in a continuing effort to enhance wildfire prevention and community safety.

Residents of Aberdeen Glen Village on Howe Road will have the opportunity to have their cedar hedges and junipers chipped on Thursday, June 27. The neighbourhood is close to green space and has been identified as a high risk of wildfire. Given the area’s limited size, there is no restriction on the number of properties able to participate.

On Tuesday, July 23, Barnhartvale residents can benefit from the free chipping service. That service is limited to the first 20 registrants.

Residents in the two areas who wish to take advantage of this offer must register their property with Kamloops Fire Rescue at 250-320-7641.

To ensure their cedar hedges and junipers are chipped, homeowners must remove them and place the material at the edge of their property by the street, says the City. Any cedar hedge or juniper under 6 inches in diameter can be chipped.

The offer is exclusively for cedar hedges and junipers. Other materials, including stumps, will be left behind. A crew will arrive on the scheduled day to perform the chipping. Homeowners don’t need to be home.

This initiative follows free cedar hedge chipping in the Juniper Ridge and Rosehill neighborhoods in May. Those areas were prioritized due to their proximity to green spaces and high demand for FireSmart assessments.

Cedar hedges are prized for their beauty and privacy but require substantial water and maintenance, the City stated. Through the free chipping service, homeowners can reduce fire risk and alleviate the burden of cedar hedge maintenance.

“The initial offer of free chipping in Rosehill and Juniper Ridge was fully subscribed,” said Jeff Pont, Kamloops Fire Rescue’s Life and Safety Educator.

“We recognize the demand for this service and are committed to extending it to additional at-risk areas, contingent upon budget and capacity.”

To learn more about how to FireSmart your property, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/FireSmart.