Fire Fuel Chipper and Vegetation Debris Bin

Clearing flammable plant material from your property helps prevent fires from spreading and damaging your home. Any resident in Berkeley can reserve chipping services online from mid-March to early-December to dispose of plant debris. Residents in areas of the Berkeley Hills can request a debris bin from June to September by calling (510) 981-7270 or dialing 311 within city limits. Small amounts of plant material can go in your green compost bin or purchase pre-paid paper plant debris bags for curbside pickup.

Fire Fuel Chipper Program

Make an online reservation

From mid-March to early-December, use our chipper appointment website to schedule, re-schedule, or cancel a reservation.

Enter your address to find upcoming chipping events in your neighborhood zone. Once you find an existing event date, follow the instructions to make a reservation. As an “event based” program, reservations depend on your neighborhood zone’s schedule and can fill up quickly.

Berkeley’s Chipper program runs seasonally, and individual pickups cannot be scheduled outside of event dates. If you need an individual debris pickup, consider ordering a temporary 2-6 cubic yard dumpster for special events or other one-time needs. 

Prior to making a pickup reservation, please review all the program’s rules on the program homepage. Submit questions on the Chipper Day website.

If you no longer need a pickup, please cancel your reservation using the instructions in the email you received or on the chipper appointment website. Event dates and availability are subject to change based on staffing, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Create and set piles on your curbside for pickup

Your vegetation debris pile should not exceed 25 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet. Place your unbagged debris pile curbside, where it is easily accessible. Please be sure it does not block a roadway or driveway and is at least 10 feet away from a utility pole or fire hydrant. Your pile must be in an accessible area not blocked off by fences, closed gates, or other similar objects.

Hard vegetation you can put in your pile includes:

• Shrubs
• Brush
• Tree limbs
• Wood
• Bushes

Debris you cannot put in your pile includes some vegetation:

• Metal objects such as nails or fencing
• Poison oak
• Blackberry brambles
• Regular yard waste
• Leaves
• Lawn clippings
• Bamboo roots
• Roots covered with dirt, rocks, or gravel
• Limbs and firewood larger than 8” in diameter

VEGETATION DEBRIS BIN Program

Certain higher-risk neighborhoods in the Berkeley hills pay an additional surcharge on their Zero Waste bill to cover the cost of removing large volumes of vegetation debris with a vegetation debris bin. Coordinate bin use and delivery with your neighbors.

These residents can request a vegetation debris bin from June through September.

Check your Zero Waster statement to see if you are eligible

You are eligible for a vegetation debris bin if your quarterly Zero Waste billing statement includes a Fire District Surcharge fee. Vacant lots and properties that do not pay the Fire Surcharge are not eligible. If you can’t find your Zero Waste statement or are unsure if you qualify, call Customer Service at (510) 981-7270 or dial 311 from any cell phone or landline inside City limits to confirm eligibility.

Call to reserve a vegetation debris bin

Request a vegetation debris bin from June through September if you have a large volume of vegetation to remove. These bins may not be used for lumber, plastic, dirt, rocks, concrete, or household trash. Coordinate with your neighbors to share the vegetation debris bin. All delivered bins are placed in the public right-of-way and are available for everyone in the neighborhood.

To reserve a vegetation debris bin:

• Call Customer Service between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm weekdays, not including holidays, at (510) 981-7270 or dial 311 from any cell phone or landline inside City limits. Please be prepared with alternative dates, to permit effective scheduling.
• Vegetation debris bins can hold up to 20 cubic yards and will be available for drop-off on Tuesday and Friday. Bins left by 5:00 pm on Tuesday will be picked up by noon on Friday. Bins left by 5:00 pm on Friday will be picked up by noon on Tuesday.

Compost bin and pre-paid bags

For smaller amounts of debris, you can place vegetation in your regular weekly compost bin. You can also purchase pre-paid paper plant-debris bags (with a City of Berkeley logo) from Ace Hardware at 2020 Milvia Street, or the Berkeley Transfer Station at 1201 Second Street. These paper bags will be picked up year-round during the regular weekly service with a maximum of 10 bags per week.