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Firewood Permits

Firewood Permit Basics

When Do I Need a Firewood Permit?

  • Permits are required for collecting personal use firewood.

These permits are for collecting personal use firewood and are NOT intended for commercial use or selling of firewood.

When Don't I Need a Firewood Permit?

  • Permits are NOT required for firewood use on National Forest System lands, e.g. campfires when at campgrounds or dispersed camping.

How Much is a Permit

A cord of stacked firewood

Firewood is $5.00 per cord.

  • Minimum Purchase: $20.00 for 4 cords
  • Maximum Purchase: 12 cords per permittee per year on the Forest.

1 cord of wood is measured as 4 feet wide, by 4 feet high, by 8 feet long, of tightly stacked wood. 

The permit is assigned only to the purchaser. When firewood is harvested or transported, the permit holder must be present with the original permit and a photo ID. 

How to Purchase a Permit

You can obtain a permit in person by visiting one of our offices during business hours.

What Can I Cut?

We only allow the cutting and removal of dead trees. Dead trees have no live branches and have lost at least 25% of their bark. Wind thrown and down trees must also meet this criteria.

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Cutting a dead tree
  • Standing dead trees may be felled for firewood if they are 18 inches or less in diameter (measured at 4.5 feet above the ground).
    • Standing dead trees over 18 inches in diameter (measured at 4.5 feet above the ground) may not be felled.
  • Dead and down trees less than 18 inches in diameter may be removed for firewood.
  • Before you cut, look for signs of animal life in the tree. If found, do not cut the tree. Dead trees may provide habitat for animals.
  • If you cut a dead-standing tree, the remaining stump may not exceed 10 inches in height.
  • No live trees may be cut unless designated in writing by the District Ranger on the permit.

Do not cut trees with:

  • trunk holes or visible nests
  • broken tops
  • prohibited signs
  • Trees marked with paint or tags may not be cut unless described otherwise on the permit.

Where Can I/Can't I Cut Firewood?

Water Sources

Trees within 100 feet of beaver ponds, lakes, streams, or rivers may not be cut.

Timber Sales

Firewood gathering must be done without interfering with timber sale operations. Prior to removing firewood from a timber sale area (normally marked with paint on the trees and having signs of active or recent cutting) contact the nearest Ranger District Office for locations within the timber sale area where firewood gathering can occur. District offices can provide information about timber sale areas where logging slash is available for firewood. 

Roads

Firewood cutting is permitted along any road that is open for motor vehicle use identified on the Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) with the exception of those roads that traverse an otherwise prohibited area, such as Research Natural Areas or Developed Recreation Sites. Travel Management Rules must be followed.

Firewood may only be taken within 150 feet of the edge of the open road.

Maps

The following maps show areas where personal and/or commercial harvesting is prohibited:

Transporting Firewood

The Chequamegon-Nicolet NF has issued a Firewood Restriction Order that bans the possession, storage, or transport of any firewood that originates from outside the state of Wisconsin or more than 25 miles from the destination point unless certified (refer to Order # R913-09-02). This order is intended to stop the spread of invasive insects such as the emerald ash borer.

The use of tractors, rubber-tire skidders, ATVs, and similar vehicles is not allowed.

 

Last updated April 29, 2025

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