Reno Fire Department Offers Free Dumpsters to Dispose Dangerous Vegetation

The Reno Fire Department is hosting a program to help homeowners protect their homes from wildfire. With funding from State Farm, RFD is excited to renew the Dumpster Program in 2024. Dumpsters can now be reserved for entire neighborhoods that border the wildland urban interface.

A 30-yard dumpster will be delivered on a Thursday and picked up on a Tuesday to a neighborhood. The dumpsters are only for disposal of vegetative waste and yard debris and is for an entire neighborhood to use over the weekend.

Construction materials, manmade materials, bags are not allowed. Vegetative waste should not be bagged. Reno Fire Department requires residents to make sure only vegetative waste is placed in the dumpster, and that the dumpster is secured closed once full.

"Creating defensible space is a key element critical to reducing the threat and effects of a wildland fire," said Fire Marshal John Beck. "We are proud to offer this extremely popular program to our residents once again."

In addition to neighborhoods, one green waste dumpster will be available to the entire public to use at Fire Station #11, 7105 Mae Anne Ave, from April 18-21, 2024, or until full.

"We are giving our community a tool to reduce the amount of fuel immediately surrounding homes," said Fire Chief Dave Cochran. "As we have seen with the Pinehaven and Caughlin fire, embers from a wildfire can travel great distance before landing on combustible vegetation in your yard."

The Reno Home Wildland Fuels Reduction Program helps homeowners that border the wildland urban interface communities of Reno to provide defensible space on their property. The program is made possible through grants obtained from State Farm and Waste Management.

To check for dumpster availability, call Reno Fire at (775) 334-2300 or scan the above QR code.