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Fire Prevention: Chipper Program
Chipper Program Application Info and Portal Link - Submit your Application by October 1, 2025
DO NOT CONTINUE UNTIL ALL GUIDELINES ARE COMPLETED
Application Submission and Checking the Status of Chipping Request
2025 Application Portal is Open!
- Confirm all Chipper Program Guidelines are met then proceed to the Application Portal (link at bottom of this page).
- Online application submittal only. Ask a family member, friend, or neighbor for assistance with the online application if needed.
- Submit digital photos along with your application. One or two photos of the woodpile(s), and one photo displaying the pile’s distance from the access route. Submitting digital photos of your pile and pile placement with the application may speed up the application process. If you have problems submitting your photo please email them to: Chipper@sonoma-county.org
- Chipper Program Dashboard - 24 hours after submission the Application Status is available throughout the season. Instructions on using the dashboard are in the FAQs below.
- All applicants have the opportunity to receive a second visit later in the season. You must select "Yes" to that question in your application submission. If you do not indicate that you want a second visit later in the season then you are forgoing that opportunity.
- By submitting a Chipper Program Application for free chipping services, you are acknowledging that the woodpile(s) are accessible at all times during the Chipper Program season.
- You will not receive an email or call confirming the application was successfully submitted. Please use the Chipper Program Dashboard 24 hours after submission for application status. (Instructions on Dashboard use are located on this page in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section below.
- In the application, please include any helpful information such as gate codes, instructions on how to locate pile, etc.
- Your application covers all chip visits for 2025. Do not submit a second application as it will not be received in the database.
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Chipper Application FAQs
What do I need to do before applying for free chipper services?
You must complete these three steps before you submit your application for free chipping services:
- Follow all Chipper Program Guidelines to meet the requirements for application approval.
- Place pile(s) per the woodpile location and pile placement guidelines (you will need to add this infomation on to your application).
- Note the woodpile(s) length, width, and height (you will need to add this infomation on to your application).
Do I need to schedule a chipper services appointment?
In order to provide free chipping services to as many properties in unincorporated Sonoma County, this program does not schedule chipping appointments. Customers are not required to be home for the crew to complete chipping jobs. The crew will be there depending on work area and staff availability. All of the information the crew needs is included in your application. If there is a gate at your property, be sure to provide your gate code.
The crew might call you if the need arises, but often you’ll discover your pile(s) have been chipped without contact from the crew.
How can I check on my chipping services request job status?
You will not receive a confirmation email after submitting your Chipper Program Application. You can check the status of your application 24 hours after you submitted it on the Chipper Program Dashboard.
To check on the status of your application, you will use the automated self-service tool in the Chipper Program Dashboard. Follow the below instructions:
- Click on the Dashboard link on this page.
- On the top right corner of the map, click the little white square with arrows for the dropdown menu providing more tools.
- Click on the magnifying glass.
- Enter your address or Assessors Parcel Number (APN) in the search bar and hit "Enter" on your keyboard.
- Close the search tool window.
- The map will zoom in on your parcel and a bright colored icon will appear alongside your APN.
- The legend on the right side of the screen will indicate the status of your application and/or chipping service request.
What does the application mean about a "second visit" later in the season?
Applicants that noted "Yes" in their application to receive a second visit later in the season are eligible to receive an extra two hours of free chipping near the end of the Fire Season (late August through October).
Once your first visit woodpile(s) have been chipped, prepare for a second visit if you noted that you wanted one in the original application. Do not submit another application.
Contact us at (707) 565-6070 or Chipper@sonoma-county.org once your woodpile for the second visit is ready for inspection. You must meet the same guidelines as you did in the first round.
Do I need to submit a second application this season?
No, you do not need to submit a second application. We only accept one application per parcel owner per year. For further questions, contact us at (707) 565-6070 or Chipper@sonoma-county.org.