Palm Springs Fire Department Kicks Off Wildfire Season Brush Removal Program

With temperatures climbing and wildfire season approaching, the Palm Springs Fire Department is launching its annual brush removal program next Tuesday, May 5, starting at the Palm Springs Visitor Information Center at 2901 North Palm Canyon Drive at 9 a.m.

City crews will spend the next two months, through July 1, trimming trees and clearing brush across 14 city-owned vacant lots, covering 101 acres throughout Palm Springs. But the city isn't stopping at its own property. The department is also rolling out a public education campaign asking residents in wildfire-prone areas to clear brush and maintain defensible space around their homes. 

The requirements are specific: property owners should keep a 100-foot clearance around structures and 10 feet from roadways and fences, maintain at least 10 feet of clearance around chimney outlets, trim trees taller than 18 feet at least 6 feet up from the ground with all dead branches removed, and cut trees and shrubs under 18 feet back by one-third. Roofs should also be cleared of leaves, twigs, and any other combustible material, and all removed vegetation needs to be disposed of in line with city disposal policies.

The department's message is straightforward: clear early, clear often.

For more information, visit EngagePalmSprings.com.