Residential Chipping Program Helps Taos Residents Reduce Wildfire Risk

Many Taos residents face elevated wildfire risk on their properties but lack access to a community service to process logs, branches, and brush after removing vegetation to reduce that risk. Concerned about this gap, local firefighters developed a solution: launch a no-cost residential chipping program to help residents clear and remove potential wildfire fuels from their properties. The program will also include wildfire assessment visits and a community-wide education and awareness day, offering residents practical guidance on creating defensible space and taking additional steps to reduce risk. LOR’s funding helped the Village of Taos Ski Valley Fire Department purchase a commercial-grade wood chipper, giving fire department personnel the equipment needed to chip and remove vegetation from at least 50 residential properties during the first year.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.