Green waste collection days are back, starting Saturday, October 3. It's a safe, free way for Washoe County residents to get rid of yard waste and create defensible space around homes. Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue is hosting 20 collection days at 10 different locations this year.
"We're trying to really touch strategically each part of Washoe County, and make sure everybody has an opportunity to dispose of their green waste," said Adam Mayberry with TMFR. "This is a free public service and it's been very popular and successful in the past."
It's a way for residents to get rid of things like tree branches, dead leaves, and sagebrush - things that can be a fire hazard. Creating defensible space around your home could help save it - and save lives.
"Not only does defensible space go a long way to protect your home, family and loved ones, but it also protects our firefighters that have to go and provide structure protection to those homes during wildfires," Mayberry said.
TMFPD's Autumn Green Waste Collection Days will take place beginning at 9am until 4pm, weather permitting, on the following dates and locations:
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
Defensible space is the buffer you create between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area that surround it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it protects homes and property from catching fire, either from direct flame contact or radiant heat. Defensible space is also essential for the protection of the firefighters defending your home.
Washoe County residents should act and create this space by pruning or cutting back trees branches and shrubs and remove dead grass and weeds.
Examples of accepted items include junipers, pines, rabbitbrush, sagebrush, and other woody vegetation.
ONLY natural vegetation, please. Items we will NOT accept include 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, we cannot accept items in bags. Bags must be emptied on site and removed.
