Green fuelwood available with permit

SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) – The area closure for the Moose Fire was terminated on Friday, and visitors can now enter the fire area and collect fuelwood which has been bucked up and left along roads or they may collect from 5 low stacked and processed log decks along the Ridge Road, south of 5 Corners, which are signed for public firewood. This available wood is primarily green fuelwood which is a result of the suppression efforts for the Moose Fire. 

No fuelwood cutting is allowed in the log decks which are marked as sale decks. These decks will be put under a timber sale contract. 

Free personal-use firewood gathering, on Salmon-Challis National Forest system lands, up to four cords, is available for the 2022 calendar year. A free hard copy permit and load tags will be required. The maximum amount per year that a household can gather for personal use which is 12 cords. The 12 cords would typically be authorized using a combination of free personal-use (4 cord maximum) and personal-use charge permits (12 cord maximum minus free cords previously authorized). The cost for a personal-use charge permit is $5.00 per cord with a minimum purchase of four cords or $20.00.

Firewood cutters are asked to stop by the Public Lands Center in Salmon or their local district offices for permits. Forest Service officials request that wood cutters follow these restrictions and requirements:

• Prior to haul, firewood material 7 inches in diameter or larger needs to be cut into lengths less than 8 feet. Smaller material can be removed in longer lengths.
• No firewood cutting within 300 feet of streams, lakes, ponds, or wet/boggy areas. Do not fall or drag trees across streams.
• Only standing dead trees with no green needles, or downed trees may be gathered for firewood. Do not cut trees that are signed, painted, or appear to be protected for other resource purposes. Leave stumps as low as possible, but no higher than 8 inches.
• To reflect implementation of the Salmon-Challis National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM), open travel routes are identified on the current MVUM and governs use of all motorized vehicles on the Forest. Motorized vehicles are allowed within 300 feet from the centerline of the designated routes for the purpose of cutting and removing firewood, provided no resource damage occurs.
• No firewood cutting is allowed within signed timber sales, or 200 feet of administrative sites, campgrounds, research natural areas, or other areas signed on the ground as closed to firewood cutting. In addition, no firewood cutting is allowed in those areas designated by color shading or by description as portrayed on the Salmon-Challis firewood map.
• Firewood obtained is intended for personal use only. Free personal-use firewood may not be resold. 
• Persons may gather firewood on behalf of someone else physically unable to gather on their own.
• Pile or lop and scatter slash away from roads, power lines, telephone lines, ditches, and stream courses.

Permitted gathering of more limited maximum cut eight feet length firewood, post and poles, energy assistance programs, or for any commercial firewood harvesting will continue for a fee. Please call your local district office for information on availability and obtaining the appropriate permit.

For more information and guidelines, please check the firewood cutting brochure available at https://bit.ly/SCF-personalusefuelwood and contact the Forest at 208-756-5100. Firewood and Motor Vehicle Use (MVUM) maps for the Forest can be found at https://bit.ly/SCFMaps. Salmon-Challis National Forest contact information can be found online on our homepage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/scnf/.