Forest Service in NW moving to free personal-use firewood-cutting program

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The national forests of Oregon and Washington in Region 6 of the USDA Forest Service are transitioning their firewood program to become a free for personal use firewood program to the public.

Those who receive free use firewood permits may use firewood for cutting, manufacturing, handling, or other processing, but not for resale.

Charge permits are available for individuals who wish to resell firewood. The regional minimum rate for firewood charge permits remains unchanged at $5 per cord.

“We are pleased to be able to offer free personal use firewood across the National Forests in Oregon and Washington,” said Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa. “This change will benefit people who rely on firewood as their primary heat source and will allow us to dispose of material that otherwise would have a cost to burn or remove.”

The following national forests will transition to free use firewood beginning Oct. 1: Mt. Baker Snoqualmie, Mt. Hood, Olympic, Rogue-River Siskiyou, Siuslaw, Umpqua, and Willamette.

A second transition will occur no later than Jan. 1, 2022, for the following national forests: Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Gifford Pinchot, Malheur, Ochoco, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman.
The Colville National Forest has offered free use firewood since 2019 and will continue with the same level of service to the public.

Free firewood permits are only valid during the current firewood season for the forest on which they were issued. Permits will not be available for purchase outside of the forest's firewood season. 

Forest supervisors will designate free use firewood areas on all or parts of units that are compatible with land management plans and will establish the annual limit on the number of cords of free use an individual may collect.

The total amount of free use material granted to an individual in any fiscal year cannot exceed $200 in value (36 CFR 223.8). Additional free use may be granted by district rangers or forest supervisors in cases of hardship or unusual need. Free use of green material may be declined where supply is limited, or other conditions justify.

For more information regarding the free use firewood program, please contact Mike Spisak, Assistant Regional Director of Natural Resources, michael.spisak@usda.gov.