Free Curbside Chipping Drive for Twisp Residents

Help keep our spring air clean by chipping your yard waste instead of burning!

It is spring! In the Methow Valley that means abundant Arrowleaf blooms and the burning of woody debris piles. Clearing out woody debris and yard waste around homes and properties is a vital part of being fire-wise and improving forest health. Lots of outdoor pile burning however—especially piles of green branches—contributes to poor air quality at a time when the skies should be clear. In late summer we expect smoke from wildfires. How can we reduce our smoke at other times of year to protect those who are most vulnerable to cumulative smoke exposure?

Twisp Public Works, Clean Air Methow and Resilient Methow will be coming through town to chip your yard debris piles starting on April 18th & 19th. No need to pre-register. Simply place your piles curbside no later than Sunday night, April 17th. Chipping will begin at 8am on Monday morning until finished (may be Tuesday or Wednesday). In order for your piles to be accepted they must meet the following criteria:

• Piles should be made up of woody limbs and branches only, no shorter than 2’ long and no larger than 6” Inches in Diameter. It is ok if limbs and branches have leaves and needles on them.

  • The following materials will not be accepted: noxious weeds, sod, root balls, piles of pine needles, slash piles or leaves, animal waste, garbage of any kind, metal, plastics, lumber or treated wood, construction debris/materials, and paper.

• Piles must be hand piled with all stems of brush and trees facing the same way. Place all stems of trees and brush on the sidewalk or shoulder perpendicular to street, with all cut ends pointing in the same direction towards the street.

• Piles must be easily accessed by a truck pulling a chipper. As close to the roadway as possible without blocking access.

• Limit Pile size to no more than 5’ wide x 10’ long x 5’ high. Make multiple piles if needed.

• If the pile (or part of the pile) does not meet specifications, a “pile cannot be chipped” tag will be left.

• Piles placed in alleyways rather than the town streets will not be chipped.

Chips will be free for the taking at the end of Lincoln Street in the town park starting at 2pm on Monday, 4/18. You do not need to participate to receive chips and can be picked up without pre-arrangements and will be self-load.

Find out more about the event here.