Oregon and Washington national forests offer free use firewood program
Written by Press Release on September 30, 2021
Portland, Ore. – The National Forests of Oregon and Washington in Region 6 of the USDA Forest Service are transitioning their firewood program to become a free use firewood program to the public. Free use firewood will be granted to individuals for personal use without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, handicap, or sex, and without restrictions regarding the wealth or residency of the recipient. 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 $5.00 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 October 1, 2021: Mt. Baker Snoqualmie, Mt. Hood, Olympic, Rogue-River Siskiyou, Siuslaw, Umpqua, and Willamette. A second transition will occur no later than January 1, 2022, for the following National Forests: Colville, Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Gifford Pinchot, Malheur, Ochoco, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman.
Free firewood permits will be issued on a calendar basis from January – December. 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 Mellisa Shuey, Resource Specialist at 541-967-3255 or Mellisa.shuey@usda.gov or Gordon Dyer, Special Forest Products Lead at 541-496-3532 or Gordon.dyer@usda.gov.
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