Andy Tullis / The BulletinA loader dumps yard debris into a grinder to make mulch at Knott Landfill in Bend on Wednesday afternoon. The first two weeks of participation in the FireFree program have already surpassed last yearís record of 29,815 cubic yards.

Deschutes County homeowners seem to have heeded warnings of a potential early and prolonged wildfire season.

About 3,300 dump truck loads, or 32,697 cubic yards, of pine needles, branches, brush and tree limbs have been collected so far this month for the FireFree program. Bend collection sites saw a 26 percent increase in participation this year.

The program, coordinated by Deschutes County, offers free disposal of yard debris at collection sites in Bend, throughout the county and in Madras. The program urges residents to remove potential fuel for wildfires in a 30- to 100-foot buffer around homes, where fire can spread quickly to the structure.

“There’s a real heightened sense of the fire danger this year,” said Bruce Lepore, community manager for the Awbrey Butte Owners Association. “Last year, the Two Bulls Fire came pretty close and that shook people up.”

Lepore said homeowner associations in Bend have organized and encouraged residents to prepare for potential wildfire threats.

The Two Bulls Fire, which broke out June 7, burned nearly 7,000 acres west of Bend and came within about 2 miles of city limits.

“I think that really got in the forefront of people’s minds because of how close the fire got to Bend,” said Ed Keith, the Deschutes County forester.

The FireFree program began in 1997 after the Skeleton Fire, which burned 17,000 acres and destroyed 19 homes in Bend.

The collection periods so far have been May 1-2 and last weekend at the Knott Landfill in southeast Bend and on SW Simpson Avenue at the former demolition landfill. There were also yard debris collection sites in Sunriver and Madras this month.

Keith said the first two weeks of collection have already surpassed last year’s record of 29,815 cubic yards for the entire collection period of three weekends.

“We had good weather for people to do the work, and it’s going to be an early start to fire season,” Keith said.

The uptick in collected yard debris might also be attributed to the early burn restrictions imposed by fire officials. Backyard burning of yard debris was prohibited beginning May 1 in unincorporated areas, while it’s typically allowed until June 1.

On Friday and Saturday, yard debris can be dropped off at the Negus Transfer Station in Redmond, the Northwest Transfer Station in Cloverdale and the Southwest Transfer Station in La Pine. It will be the last weekend of the FireFree program.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820,

tshorack@bendbulletin.com