BAKER CITY – Firewood-cutting permits for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest will be available for sale May 1 at district offices and at local vendors in various communities.

The season beginson Tuesday and runs through Nov. 30.

Personal use firewood gathering permits can be purchased for $5 per cord, with a four-cord minimum and a 10-cord maximum. Commercial use permits are available for $10 per cord, with a two-cord minimum.

There is no limit to the number of commercial cords that an individual can purchase.

Wet spring weather and snow at low elevations may make some areas inaccessible. Woodcutters should avoid driving off the road and onto wet, unstable ground to load their firewood.

Woodcutters are reminded that chain saw operations on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest coincide with Public Use Fire Restrictions, which are fire closures that prohibit certain activities including operating an internal combustion engine, use of campfires, driving off forest roads, etc. during high fire danger.

A one-hour fire watch after shutting down the chain saw is required during fire season to watch for and suppress any fire starts.

Additional information about firewood cutting and fire restrictions is available by calling local ranger district offices and on the web at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman. This year, woodcutters will be able to call local phone numbers and listen to a recorded message with fire closure updates on the Forest. The phone numbers are: 541-523-1234 in Baker City, 541-962-8679 in La Grande, and 541-426-5552 in Enterprise.

Local FirewoodPermit Vendors

Brogan

Brogan Quick Stop

5625 John Day Hwy.

541-472-3411

Elgin

SandW Hardware

820 Dogwood

541-437-0330

Enterprise

Dollar Stretcher

604 S. River St.

541-426-5833

Joseph

Sports Corral

401 Main St.

541-432-4363

Sumpter

The Gold Post

150 N. Mill St.

541-894-2362

Ontario

Draper’s Outdoor

Power Equipment

201 SE Second St.

541-889-9250

Unity

Burnt River Market

P.O. Box 148

541-446-3492

The Waterhole

224 Main St.

541-446-3492

Union

Hometown Hardware

206 S. Main St.

541-562-5472

Wallowa

The Blonde Strawberry

Highway 82

541-886-2309

District OfficesSelling Permits

Whitman Ranger District

Baker Office

3285 11th St.

541-523-4476

Pine Office

38470 Pine Town Lane

Halfway

541-742-7511

La Grande Ranger District

3502 Hwy. 30

541-963-7186

Wallowa Mountains Office

201 E. Second St.

Joseph

541-426-5546

Hells Canyon NRA

Clarkston Office

2535 Riverside Drive

Clarkston, Wash.

509-758-0616