One of the greatest accelerators of wildfire is woody debris. The good news is, this is a manageable problem with a fairly simple solution that’s already in practice in many regional communities: chipping. Chipping the debris reduces fire fuel, creates valuable chips for gardens and farms and provides an alternative to burning, thus reducing air pollution.
To demonstrate the viability of an islandwide program to reduce woody debris on Salt Spring, TSS organized a pilot program funded by a grant-in-aid from the CRD and modest user fees. A survey of several neighbourhoods was created to determine the most successful size, location and fees for piles as well as the best time of year for the program.
Roadside pickup and chipping of debris was planned in a variety of neighbourhoods across the island, culminating in 76 piles of debris chipped over five partial days in spring of 2025. The pilot program paid for itself, and TSS has projected similar financial success with an islandwide program.
“We were just trying to keep the ground clear of fuel. It’s a wildfire thing for us, so we
were really happy to hear that you guys were sponsoring this program because it meant
we could get a whole bunch of stuff chipped.” (Mairi Wellman)
While the ideal next step for a roadside chipping program would be as an initiative of the CRD, an immediate next step recommended to the LCC will be an interim program to test the efficacy of more extensive public education about the problem and this program. TSS believes this further test of the model will prepare the island and the program organizer wth the tools for an exemplary program that reduces our fire risk, is popular with our community and further unites us in working together to protect our island.