fuels-reduction-guide-2023 - Flipbook - Page 8
Fuels Reduction Projects And Equipment
Chipping
Chippers are an important part of CAL FIRE’s fuels reduction work.
Both tracked and tow chippers are used where hand thinning
projects are being completed.
Chippers are used to change the
size, shape and distribution of
fuels in the forest, thereby reducing
the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
CAL FIRE uses both tracked chippers
and tow chippers for fuels reduction
projects. Tow chippers are typically
used for roadside clearing and
in neighborhoods. The cleared
material is staged at the edge of
the road where the chipping crew
feed branches into the hopper. The
chips are blown back into the area
where the fuels came from. Tracked
chippers are used for projects
beyond the roadway and in steep
difficult terrain. Working off-road,
tracked chippers are moved by
remote control, often across rough
terrain, close to the project location,
helping to limit the time crews spend
dragging materials to the chipper.
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As with the tow chipper, the chips
are blown and dispersed back onto
the forest floor.
