Firewood

2024 Firewood Season

Firewood cutting season is open as of Monday, April 15. The season closes in late November. Contact your local district office for more information.

Whether you're cutting firewood for personal use or to sell, you are required to have a valid firewood permit along with load tags, firewood cutting map, and a current firewood information sheet.

Current Fire Danger & Industrial Fire Precaution Levels

The Basics

Free use firewood permits can be acquired in person or requested virtually during open season (generally April through November).
Valid government identification is required to obtain a permit.
Personal/free use firewood permits are free of charge and expire annually when the season ends every year in November.
Households may harvest up to 6 cords annually with a free use firewood permit for personal use only.
Firewood harvested for resale purposes requires a Commercial Firewood Permit, which can be acquired by completing the Special Request Form (pending availability).

Free Use

Personal (free) use firewood permits are available at no cost, but all firewood cutters must obtain a valid permit.
During the firewood season (April through November), permits can be acquired in person at any of our district offices or by completing & submitting the Firewood Permit Application.
Free use firewood permits are for personal use only. Intent to sell firewood requires a commercial (charge) use permit.
The annual cutting limit per household is 6 cords. A standard, full cord of wood is a volume of 128 cubic feet, measured as a pile 8 feet long, 4 feet high and 4 feet wide. Check out these visuals showing how much wood is in a cord.
Access to some of our usual woodcutting areas is limited due to wildfire closures. Driving in a fire closure area is prohibited. Check out the visitor map showing road and recreation closures/access.
Firewood cutting areas are described on the firewood cutting maps and information sheets. You are required to have a current information sheet with your permit while cutting. Information sheets change regularly and show the IFPL status of each area. Hard copies can be obtained at our ranger stations or digital versions are available on this webpage below.
The Forest Service uses four industrial fire precaution levels (IFPLs) to reduce the likelihood of wildfires by regulating work activities in the Forest, including firewood cutting. Contact one of our offices for updated IFPL information. Check out our IFPL diagram and visit our fire management page to learn more.
Firewood cutters must have screen spark arrestors on their chainsaws and carry a chemical fire extinguisher & shovel.

Maps & current firewood infosheet will be provided with permit & tags.

Barlow & Hood River Ranger Districts
- Eastside Firewood Information Sheet
- Eastside Firewood Cutting Area Map
Clackamas River & Zigzag Ranger Districts
- Westside Firewood Information Sheet
- Westside Firewood Cutting Area Map

Charge Use

Intent to sell firewood or to harvest more than the 6-cord household annual limit requires a commercial (charge) use firewood permit.
Commercial firewood permits are available by completing our Special Request Form only, pending availability.
Contact a Special Forest Products Coordinator for more information on commercial permits.

Firewood Assistance Program

Do you have a friend, neighbor, or loved one that is a senior and/or has a physical disability and uses firewood to heat their home? Have you wondered how you can help harvest firewood for those who need assistance? Learn more about our Firewood Assistance Program.

The Mt. Hood National Forest Firewood Assistance Program aims to provide options for the members of our community that rely on firewood for heat but cannot cut and/or harvest the firewood on their own due to age or physical disability.

Only free (personal) use firewood permits are accepted in this program; anyone purchasing charge (commercial) use firewood permits do not qualify for firewood assistance.

Know Before You Go

It's critical to know the current Industrial Fire Precaution Level before heading out to a firewood cutting area. Each of the four units across the Forest may have a different IFPL restriction.

Level I: A Fire Watch is required to stay in the area for one hour after power equipment has been shut off to watch for fire starts.
Level II: Shut down all power equipment by 1 p.m. A Fire Watch is required to stay in the area for one hour after power equipment has been shut off to watch for fire starts.
Levels III and IV: All woodcutting activity is PROHIBITED.

Safety Tips

Before heading into the Forest, contact your nearest Ranger Station for up-to-date information on wood supply and road conditions.
Forest roads may have trees or debris on them. Drive with caution and be prepared.
Driving in a fire closure area is prohibited. Visitors can access burn areas on foot, but this comes with risks. Learn how to stay safe in a burn area.