If you cut, collect or use firewood from Crown land you must have a permit from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
A Free Use Permit for Firewood is free and allows people to collect and transport firewood from eligible Crown land for personal use.
The application forms are available online, and can be submitted in person to the forestry ministry office in Revelstoke.
Permits describe the areas where firewood collection is permitted as well as legal ways to collect the firewood and how much can be collected.
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“It is important for applicants to confirm that the wood they wish to cut or collect is on Crown land, not on private land or on a First Nations reserve. Maps of natural resource districts are available online or at the district office to assist applicants,” said a news release from the ministry.
There is no charge for the wood that is collected under a Free Use Permit for Firewood. The process includes:
- read and understand the conditions of the permit prior to signing it (the permit must be signed and dated by the person who is collecting the firewood);
- carry the permit at all times while collecting or transporting firewood; and
- produce the permit at the request of a natural resource officer, conservation officer or peace officer.
“Cutting down trees on Crown land without an appropriate permit (or selling any such firewood) is illegal and could result in the cancellation of the permit, possible forfeiture of the firewood and/or a violation ticket or other monetary penalty under the Administrative Remedies Regulation,” said the news release.
According to the ministry, illegal firewood collection can create safety hazards for back country users as well as potentially negatively affecting ecosystems, including fish and wildlife habitat.
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Purchasing firewood:
- The public can do its part to stop the illegal collection of firewood by only buying firewood from legitimate producers who sell wood obtained either on private land or through authorized Crown land harvesting tenures.
- Anyone buying firewood should ask where the firewood comes from (Crown land or private land) and ask for a record of purchase.
- For firewood that has been harvested on private land, the buyer should ask the seller for the district lot number and timber mark number.
- For firewood that has been harvested on Crown land, legitimate commercial firewood producers should have a Forestry Licence to Cut document signed by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
To report illegal wood collecting call 1-877-952-7277 or submit a report online t0 gov.bc.ca/nrv
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