By Dave Golembewski
The Blattner Free Brush Pit for Payson will reopen on Saturday, April 4th from 8 to 4 pm and be open every Saturday till further notice. It is for personal residential use only, and no commercial or paid haulers will be allowed as brush space is limited. Logs up to 6 inches and under 6 feet in length will be accepted. No construction materials or large stumps will be accepted.
The Blattner pit is located on Preacher Canyon Road off of Highway 260, west of Star Valley, and the elk crossing signal signs. For additional information contact Frank at 928.978.8765 or blattnerpit@gmail.com or you can visit mvppofaz.org. This pit is run by Frank under a Non-profit 501c 3 with donations of $25k from Gila County and $7k from the Town of Payson. Donations are appreciated to keep it open as long as possible. I would hope someday to keep the pit open year-round. We could if the donations from public and private sources together could be used for funding. Our fire season seems to be starting earlier into spring and running through the winters. To me, the free brush pit is essential on our quest to create a fire-safe town. We must also pass a fire-wise vegetation brush code in Payson with education and tools such as grants and free brush pits to first encourage citizens to voluntarily fire-wise their properties, and avoid enforcement, which should be our last resort. Together, we must take the first steps towards lessening our risk of wildfires. In much the same way we have begun to address our homelessness issues. Even with our trying times, we can still fire-wise our lots and homes and enjoy the outdoors while keeping a safe distance from others. Try to take advantage of the free brush pit while we still have nice spring weather. Keep yourselves safe and fire safe! ★
