Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Offers Free Green Waste Collection Days

It’s official Fall, but there is still high potential for fire in the west during the month of October, according to the National Interagency Fire Center’s “Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook October 2020.”

To create and maintain effective defensible space it’s crucial that you remove dead and dying vegetation in your landscape that could potentially be ignited by flying embers during a fire. It’s also important to create adequate separation of vegetation by pruning or removing plants. All of these actions will yield a lot of green waste that needs to be removed from the property so that it doesn’t become a fire hazard.

That’s why Truckee Meadow’s Fire Protection District is offering free green waste collection days every weekend in October and November, except the weekend of Nevada Day. In partnership with Nevada Division of Insurance, University of Nevada, Extension, Living With Fire and NV Energy, these events are a great opportunity for Washoe County residents to safely dispose of their green waste for free!

ONLY natural vegetation will be accepted. The following Items will NOT be accepted: household garbage and trash, lumber, hazardous materials, grass clippings and stumps with root balls.  Tree stumps in excess of 8-inches in diameter will not be accepted.  Additionally, items in bags will not be accepted, bags must be emptied on site and removed. Each event will take place between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (weather permitting) check out the schedule below for dates:

• October 3 & 4: Nevada Division of Forestry Fire Station, 885 Eastlake Blvd, Washoe Valley
• October 10 & 11: South Valley’s Regional Park, 15650 Wedge Parkway, Reno*
• October 17 & 18: RTC Lot, corner of Geiger Grade and Toll Road, Reno
• October 24 & 25: Mayberry Park, 101 Woodland Avenue, Reno
• November 6 & 7: Verdi Community Center, 165 Bridge Street, Verdi
• November 8 & 9: Scolari’s, 5430 Sun Valley Blvd, Sun Valley
• November 13 & 14: Lemmon Valley Station, 130 Nectar Street, Reno
• November 15 & 16: Silver Lake Station, 11525 Red Rock Road, Reno
• November 20 & 21: Ironwood Equestrian Center, 5600 Whiskey Springs Road, Palomino Valley
• November 22 & 23: Lazy 5 Regional Park, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks

*Update from TMFPD: The scheduled Green Waste Collection event at the South Valleys Regional Park this weekend, October 10-11, is limited to small loads only. Loads accepted at the park cannot be larger than a standard pickup truck bed and can only include woody materials that can be chipped. Absolutely NO leaves, pine needles, weeds, or loads that include dirt. Grass clippings will not be accepted at any drop-o˜ location.

Loads larger than a pickup bed, or that include leaves, needles, or weeds will be accepted this weekend (10/10-11) at the Nevada Division of Forestry Fire Station, 885 Eastlake Blvd, Washoe Valley.

Download the Flyer for These Events

More Information:

For more information about the events visit Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District’s website: https://tmfpd.us/2020/09/21/truckee-meadows-fire-announces-green-waste-collection-days/

For more information about creating and maintaining effective defensible we have two great publications to check out:

1. “Fire Adapted Communities: The Next Step in Wildfire Preparedness.”
2. “Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas.”