Credit: A Olow, Sierra National Forest 

April 6, 2017 - CLOVIS, CA. – The Sierra National Forest resumed selling Personal Use Wood Cutting Permits for the April 1st through November 30th period.  The North Fork, Prather, and Clovis Forest Service offices began selling permits on Monday April 3rd. All permits will be valid only for the Sierra National Forest lands and do not include private property. The forest will be offering a four cord permit to the public for $20.00, with a maximum purchase limit of 12 cords per household.

Prices for firewood will remain at the 2016 price this season, to encourage the public to assist the Forest Service in decreasing the increased fuel load created by the unprecedented tree mortality.

A permit must be in the possession of individuals removing forest firewood, and load receipts must be attached to the load before leaving the wood-cutting site. We remind the public that removing any timber, tree, or other forest product, is prohibited by 36 CFR 261.6 (h) except as authorized by special use authorization, timber sale contract, federal law, or regulation.

Although the Personal Use Fuelwood season began April 1st, due to this past winter’s storms, those Forest Service roads that sustained significant damage will remain closed until repairs can be completed. Most roads are scheduled to be opened April 15th, but may remain temporarily closed until drier conditions render them passable. Early season woodcutters are reminded to contact the High Sierra Ranger District office in Prather, Calif. at 559-855-5355; the Bass Lake Ranger District in North Fork, Calif. at 559-877-2218; or the Forest Supervisors Office in Clovis, Calif. at 559-297-0706, or go online to www.fs.usda.gov/sierra to find out about wood cutting regulations, road closures and current road conditions, prior to traveling to the forest to cut firewood.

Once you have your permit, please be safe and aware of others in the area, and aware of your surroundings given the level of tree mortality.  Thank you in advance for the role you will be playing, as part of the team to help restore the Sierra National Forest back to a resilient condition!

Follow the Sierra National Forest on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SierraNF and Like the Sierra National Forest on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SierraNF.  Visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/sierra
Source: Sierra National Forest