The 2016 Spring Firewood Collection Season opens on Thursday, September 1 and firewood can be collected from designated firewood collection areas on public land across Gippsland until November 30 .
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Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Regional Manager Forest and Fire Operations, Richard Teychenne said that designated firewood collection area maps, rules and other information can be found at your local DELWP office or online at the DELWP web page: www.delwp.vic.gov.au/firewood
“We’re reminding collectors that all firewood must to picked up off the ground, it is illegal to fell trees for firewood.
“Vehicles cannot be driven off formed roads and tracks, but wheel barrows can be used to access wood beyond the immediate vicinity of formed roads and tracks,” Mr Teychenne said.
“You may collect up to two cubic metres of firewood per person per day, and up to 16 cubic metres per household per year.”
“Some designated firewood collection areas may be opened and closed at differing times within the spring firewood season for various reasons, including safety, supply or on ground conditions.”
“A major public safety consideration is DELWP’s planned burning program. Spring and autumn are the main seasons that DELWP and VicForests conduct their planned burning operations. Spring burns are generally small in area so may only affect some parts of firewood collection areas.”
“Firewood collection areas that have proposed burns within them may be closed early and at short notice to allow burning operations to be undertaken safely. Closures of firewood collection areas due to burning operations will be notified on site, at local DELWP offices and on the website and DELWP Gippsland Facebook page if time allows.”
“Please remember that our State Forests are used for a range of activities including four wheel driving, horse riding, trail bike riding, bush walking, commercial timber harvesting and deer hunting. Consider wearing highly visible clothing when collecting firewood so that other forest users can see you.”
Any information the community may have about the illegal removal of firewood for sale can be reported to DELWP on 136 186 and quote ‘Operation Axe’.
For more information visit www.delwp.vic.gov.au/firewood
