Firewood-cutting season ends on Central Oregon public lands

 BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Forest officials want to remind the public that personal use firewood collection on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland and the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management is now prohibited.

Firewood cutting season runs from May 1 through November 30 every year.

Firewood cutting season ends at the end of November every year to align with winter range closures that begin on December 1.

Winter range is habitat deer and elk migrate to in order to find more favorable living conditions during the winter. Winter range is found predominantly in lower elevations of Central Oregon and is extremely important to mule deer survival.

These areas typically have minimal amounts of snow cover and provide vegetation for forage, hiding cover, and protection from the weather.  In Oregon, mule deer migrate, often long distances, to lower elevations to escape or minimize exposure to snow cover.

Firewood cutting season also ends at the end of November to minimize resource damage that may result from the public accessing firewood cutting areas that are under snow.

This year, due the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Forest Service offered free personal use firewood for the public that began on May 1 and extended through November 30. The Prineville District BLM sold permits for $10 a cord with a two cord minimum. Firewood cutting season will begin again in May of 2021.

For more information, contact the Deschutes National Forest at (541) 383-5300, the Ochoco National Forest at (541) 416-6500, or the Prineville BLM at (541) 416-6700.