Sedona Fire District 2013 yard waste clean-up event scheduled for May 17-19

SEDONA AZ (April 24, 2013) – The Sedona Fire District (SFD), U.S. Forest Service and BSE Rents are joining together to offer Sedona area residents an opportunity to dispose of yard waste and combustible vegetation prior to fire season. SFD Fire Station #4, located at 391 Forest Road in uptown Sedona, will be accepting yard waste Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 17 through 19, 2013, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Participation is open to all Sedona Fire District residents so mark your calendars.

The wildfire season is almost here. You must be prepared.

Protecting your home from a wildfire starts with you. Creating a defensible space within 30 feet of your home can greatly reduce the risk of a wildfire. Do not have thirty feet? Then start with the first ten feet around your home and property. Tall dry grasses provide a path for fire that can lead directly to your house and outbuildings. By removing tall dry grasses, leaves and pine needles from your roof and gutters and excess growth, dead leaves and branches, decreases the flammability potential.

Pruning tree limbs so the lowest is between 6’-10’ from the ground reduces “ladder fuels.”

Yard debris, including brush, tree and shrub trimmings (limbs, trunks) as well as bagged leaves and pine needles (no cactus trimmings, please) may be dropped off during this event. In an effort to reduce the spread of noxious weeds, all leaves, grasses and pine needles must be bagged. Appliances, hazardous materials, garbage, mattresses, and other household waste will not be accepted.

Visit www.sedonafire.org or www.firewise.org to learn how to make your property safe from wildfire or call the Sedona Fire District at 928-282-6800 for more information, or to schedule a free wildfire home assessment.

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