Forest roads opened for firewood gathering

The Flathead National Forest will open roads in two areas for personal use firewood collection from July 13 through Aug.13.

It will allow temporary access for woodcutting on some roads that are normally closed to public motorized traffic. The two areas include:

- Blacktail Mountain Firewood on Swan Lake Ranger District – Gated road 2957 in Section 21 T26N R21W. The road provides access to dead, down and standing dead trees.

- Skyland Firewood on Hungry Horse Ranger District – Gated road 5209 in Section 24 T29N R13W.

A Forest Service personal-use firewood permit is available for a minimum of four cords of firewood for $20. Woodcutters must have their permit with them while collecting wood and fill it out as required. All terms and conditions written on your permit must be followed, including:

- Some trees behind these gates have been marked with paint and wildlife signs. Standing or downed trees with paint or signs can not be cut. Marked trees provide important habitat for many kinds of wildlife and it is important that they are left standing and undamaged.

- Clear the road surface and ditches of tree tops and limbs when you are done cutting firewood and scatter or pile the material off of the roadway.

- All vehicles must remain on the road surface.

The area will be monitored by Forest Service personnel, as in previous years. Resource damage, such as creating “stump roads” or the loss of marked wildlife trees, could result in discontinuing the opportunity to cut firewood on yearlong closed roads.

Public cooperation has been excellent in past years and the Forest Service asks firewood cutters using the area to help continue to make this opportunity a success.

To be sure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable woodcutting experience, people visiting the area are asked to spread out, keep a lookout for other people and vehicles, and as much as possible keep the road open and passable for others. Some of the roads have limited space where they end, so it is a good idea to turn your vehicle around before filling it with wood.

Maps of the woodcutting areas, as well as firewood permits, are available at the local ranger station in the woodcutting area or Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kalispell.