Permits to collect firewood from Mendocino National Forest for personal use went on sale this week, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Every year the USFS invites members of the public to collect firewood from the national forest, which spans across six counties, including Lake and Mendocino counties.
Collected wood must be dead and already on the ground. The maximum size for a piece of wood for removal is six feet.
Wood that is collected from Lake and Mendocino counties is subject to federal and state quarantine laws due to the threat of sudden oak death being spread from pathogens that may live in the collected wood.
According to the USFS, sudden oak death is a plant disease that threatens coastal forests throughout the Bay Area. The pathogen that carries the disease is spread through rain, contaminated soil, plant material and even boots worn by hikers.
The pathogen that carries the disease spreads rapidly through primarily tanoak and oak trees. It has resulted in the death of over 1 million trees in California, the National Park Service said.
As a result, firewood from Lake and Mendocino counties can only be transported to other counties with sudden oak death quarantines. This includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and Trinity counties.
Permits cost $2 per cord with a minimum purchase of $20 for 10 cords. Each household can purchase up to 12 cords. Permits are valid through Dec. 31.
Permits for firewood are available at USFS offices in Willows, Stonyford, Upper Lake and Covelo.
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