Wood Cutting Permits Good to Go May First

Is it time to prep for winter already??? Firewood?   Hey, remember the grasshopper and the ant!  Grasshoppers play golf in the spring and freeze in winter. Ants cut wood in the spring and stay toasty warm all winter - no grasshoppers allowed!  (with apologies to Aesop)

In a press release the National Forest Service says firewood  cutting permits will go on sale at all Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest offices on May 1, 2019.

The minimum firewood permit is $20 for four cords of wood. The cost for permits over the four-cord minimum is $5 per cord. The maximum number of cords that may be purchased for personal-use is 12 cords per household per year.  Let's face it, that's a lot of chopping, splitting and stacking but at $60 bucks it's a pretty good deal! (see Naches rules below)

• Contact local ranger district office for up-to-date road conditions.
• Do not drive off of roads onto wet or snowy ground to load firewood.
• Don’t travel on roads if road surfaces are slippery and muddy, let them dry out before traveling on them. This will prevent deep ruts from developing.
• The best time to cut firewood is in the late spring and early fall; avoid mid to late summer as woodcutting restrictions may be imposed due to severe fire danger.
• Permits must be purchased in person, no permits will be sold through the mail. Individuals purchasing woodcutting permits need to present a driver’s license or other form of picture identification at the time of purchase.
• Woodcutters need to abide by the terms and conditions listed on their woodcutting permit. Be sure to read over all conditions and requirements listed on the woodcutting permit and be familiar with the information on the map.
• A woodcutting area map is a necessity. These maps show the areas that are open and closed to woodcutting and are available free with the woodcutting permits.
• Always be aware of the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) on the day that woodcutting will occur. Information on the IFPL or current restrictions may be obtained by viewing the IFPL website athttp://www.dnr.wa.gov/ifpl, calling 509-884-3473 or your local ranger district office.
• Special woodcutting rules and conditions apply on the Naches Ranger District; contact their office at 509-653-1401 for specific information. Firewood cutting season on the Naches Ranger District ends on September 30. Also, the maximum number of cords that may be purchased for personal-use from the Naches District is 10 cords per household per year.