PENDLETON, Ore. – Personal-use firewood cutting on the Umatilla National Forest will end Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Firewood permits will not be available again until May 2020.

The public is asked to take additional precautions when cutting firewood late in the fall when road and soil conditions become slick, soggy and saturated. Firewood cutters should be prepared for winter weather conditions. Mountain travel will require extreme care to avoid getting stuck in the mud or snow and causing resource damage to the land and vegetation.

Another concern for late season firewood cutting is the misidentification of live or dead western larch, a highly prized firewood also known as tamarack. Larch needles turn yellow and fall off at the end of the growing season, which can cause the tree to appear dead when in fact it is only dormant. Tips on identifying live larch are located in the firewood guide that accompanies each firewood permit.

Firewood permits can be purchased at any Umatilla National Forest office or at several local businesses in the community. Permits cost $5 per cord with a minimum purchase of four cords for $20. A maximum purchase of 12 cords total, per household, is allowed from National Forest lands during the calendar year.