Did you know Alaskans can harvest firewood for personal use on State land from local, established firewood areas? It is easy to apply and pay for a permit online, as well as in any Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) office. To access permits simply go to https://dnr.alaska.gov/FPS, pick your region, and find a nearby harvest area on the map by clicking on the red location pins.
Firewood permits are $10 per cord, good for one calendar year from the date of purchase and are for personal use only (none of the material is to be sold or bartered). Remember to always use personal protection equipment and a spotter when falling trees!
Please see below for specific DOF Area advisories and information:
MAT-SU AREA
Focus in the Mat-Su Valley is on harvesting beetle-killed spruce trees but there are some birch harvest areas available as well. Beetle-killed spruce trees are usually dry and burn great, helping to minimize impacts to local air quality. Landowners interested in harvesting from state lands not listed in the Firewood Permit System should contact the Area Forester for more information.
KENAI-KODIAK AREA
Due to the large amount of beetle kill timber in the northern Kenai Peninsula, the DOF Kenai-Kodiak Area is issuing permits for specific areas to target removal of fuels and to avoid overharvest of a single unit. Please call 907-260-4200 before purchasing a permit. Personnel will assist you in finding firewood on State land or put you in touch with the Kenai Peninsula Borough or US Fish and Wildlife Service for wood that is more easily accessible to you.
VALDEZ-COPPER RIVER AREA
Personal Use Woodlots within the Valdez/Copper River area provide access challenges. There are few or no roads into these woodlots, and access is limited to dry or winter conditions only. The Lowe River area can only be accessed by crossing the Lowe River. A river crossing permit is required in addition to your Firewood Cutting Permit. Lowe River is a winter-use only woodcutting area.
SOUTHWEST AREA
Permits are for dead standing or down timber. No live trees can be harvested. Anything cut by the permittee greater than 5 inches in diameter must be removed by the permittee and stumps should be no more than 12 inches high. Do not harvest trees within 100 feet of any waterbodies, streams, or wetlands and do not harvest trees within 100 feet of private property. Permit holders are responsible for ensuring that they cut and operate only in areas noted on the State lands noted on the permitting map. Landowners interested in harvesting from state lands not listed in the Firewood Permit System should contact the Area Forester for more information.
FAIRBANKS AREA
All travel on forest roads is at your own risk. Be prepared for logging traffic, difficult roads, and challenging conditions that may require self-extraction. Forestry staff have developed a state Forestry Roads status map: https://arcg.is/11naK9. This map will be updated with our best knowledge of current conditions.
DELTA AREA
Delta River West and Mississippi Salvage areas are winter access only. Cut dead and down trees only in in the Mississippi Salvage, Donna Lake, Lisa Lake, and Little Gerstle areas. Cutting of live spruce is permissible within the Delta River West area. Cutting any species is permissible at Mile 290 Richardson Highway (leave a tree every 30 feet to avoid clear cutting). Do not cut within 300 feet of Quartz Lake-Goodpaster trail or on any commercial timber sale site marked with pink flagging and blue tags. Delta River West Firewood Area recent fuel break clearing is complete, and DOF firewood permit holders may harvest any wood not part of stacked log decks (these were harvested and processed by the fuel break subcontractor at their own expense and will be removed this spring).
TOK AREA
Safety first and always use personal protection equipment and a spotter when falling. Cut and operate only in areas noted on the permit map. Do not cut beyond the personal use area or within the No Cut areas. Stumps should be no more than 12 inches high and all cut timber should be removed by the permittee. Be considerate to other people using the logging roads, observe posted signs, and please no littering.
For more information on the firewood on State lands go to https://forestry.alaska.gov/wood/firewood. For information specific to permits in the area you live in, you can contact your local forestry office:
Fairbanks/Delta Area: Information Center (907) 451-2705
Southeast Area: Greg Staunton (907) 225-3070
Mat-Su Area: Stephen Nickel (907) 761-6301
Kenai-Kodiak Area: Diane Campbell (907) 260-4210
Tok/Copper River Area Kato Howard (907) 883-1400
Categories: AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 