Wildfire Partners Opens Free Countywide Community Chipping Program for 2026 — Follow-Up Report

Wildfire Partners Opens Free Countywide Community Chipping Program for 2026 — Follow-Up Report

Boulder County’s Wildfire Partners program is accepting registrations for the 2026 community chipping season. Residents in the wildland-urban interface can have tree limbs, brush, and other woody debris chipped at no cost. Last year the program processed over 2,400 loads of material from 1,100 properties across the county.

Affordable housing remains the top priority identified in the 2025 Community Survey. Boulder County’s Worthy Cause program has funded 1,979 affordable housing units since its inception, with 154 additional units in the development pipeline.

Boulder County has partnered with the cities of Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, and Louisville on this project. Combined investment across all jurisdictions totals $53,000, making it one of the largest collaborative efforts in the county’s history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Climate considerations are central to this effort. Boulder County’s 2025 Climate Action Plan sets targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 12% below 2005 levels by 2030. This project contributes to those goals through energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy integration, and reduced vehicle miles traveled.

A community information session will be held at the Nederland library on Sunday, April 26 at 7:00 PM. Translation services in Spanish and Nepali will be available. The session will also be livestreamed on the Boulder County YouTube channel.

Next Steps

Environmental review of the project area near Coal Creek Canyon Road found 3 sensitive species and 3 wetland areas requiring mitigation. The Public Health worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop a habitat conservation plan.

Historical context: Boulder County was established in 1861 and covers 741 square miles of diverse terrain from the Great Plains to the Continental Divide. The county’s population of approximately 330,000 residents is served by 2109 county employees across 41 departments and offices.