Starting Oct. 1, the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council will assume responsibility for the community brush collection sites in Poppet Flats and Pinyon.
MCFSC approved the action at its Aug. 12 meeting. Gregg Bratcher, Cal Fire’s division chief forester on the mountain, indicated that the agency will help MCFSC secure grant funds to operate these sites.
“We needed someone to help,” he said. “The Fire Safe Council members have experience with fuel reduction, education and helping a community.”
“We’re excited about it,” said Edwina Scott, MCFSC executive director. “After Oct. 1, it will be business as usual at the two grinding sites. We’ll make it successful and not make any changes.”
Last week the grants manager from the California Fire Safe Council made a site visit to the Hill. The state group is a strong supporter of chipping programs and cooperating with property owners who are doing the work, according to Scott.
“I told her about taking over management of the sites and she liked the idea,” Scott wrote in an email. “Like the MCFSC Board of Directors, she thinks providing a location for property owners to take their bio-waste is not only prudent, but it also fits perfectly with the mission of fire safe councils.”