Chipper program helps reduce fire risk

For those who are not familiar with it, the Placer County Chipper program offers a remarkable service to residents of Placer, to chip branches and small trees, to reduce the fire hazard. In addition, chipping reduces air pollution, as there are fewer burn piles. The crew that does the work are several low-risk inmates from the county jail. They are enthusiastic young men, hard-working, pleasant to chat with, and fast. The machine they use can chip trees and branches up to 12-inches diameter. With the devastating fires we've had in NorCal, this program offers a way to reduce our risk of fire at low cost; it's $40/ hour, after 50 percent reduction through a funding grant. Even with very large piles of brush, I've never exceeded the $40 minimum charge. To state the obvious, it's far less costly to reduce fire risk than to rebuild after a big fire. I can't keep up with clearing the excess brush on our 10 acres. I'd like to see this program expanded to include brush clearing, to reduce fire risk. The inmates would enjoy being out of doors, and an expanded program would reduce risk of devastating fires. For more info and to request the service, go to: placercountyrcd.org Ron Patich, Auburn