Vail Fire and Emergency Services has offered a free curbside chipping service to assist property owners with defensible space since June 2. Service for 2025 will wrap up this Friday, Oct. 24.  

To arrange for curbside pickup visit https://www.chipperday.com/vail or contact the Vail Fire Wildfire Division Hotline at 970-477-3509.  

Accepted materials include trees, logs and branches up to 15 inches in diameter, free of nails and wire. The following restrictions apply: 

• No willow branches  

• No construction or building materials  

• No treated lumber, fence posts or signs  

• No shrubs, root wads, stumps, dirt or rocks  

• No grass clippings, trash, weeds or bags of leaves  

Pile Guidelines: 

• Stack piles neatly at curbside (no bags), with large ends facing the road  

• Place piles within 5 feet of the roadway, but not touching the road or in drainage ditches  

• Maximum pile size is 5’ x 5’ x 5’ per pile with no limit to the number of piles  

Vail Fire encourages all property owners to take appropriate measures to protect their homes from wildfire. The chipping service is offered to assist with creating defensible space on private property.  

Property owners with questions about other measures they can take to help protect their property from the threat of wildfire are encouraged to call the Vail Wildfire Division Hotline at 970-477-3476 to speak with a wildfire expert.