During these cold winter nights, people often light their wood stoves or fireplaces to keep warm. But do you know where your firewood came from? Was it legally harvested?

Cutting down trees on Crown land without the appropriate permit and then selling them as firewood is a serious problem throughout the province. This activity is illegal and could result in a violation ticket of $173 or more if significant environmental damage is done. It also could create safety hazards for the public, recreationalists and other forest users, and negatively affect the area's ecosystems, including fish and wildlife habitats.

The public can do its part by purchasing firewood only from legitimate producers selling wood from either private land or authorized harvesting tenures.

If you are buying firewood, ask where the firewood comes from (Crown land or private land). Firewood that comes from Crown land (including provincial parks and conservancies) in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Region and is bought or sold without proper documentation can be seized and removed by natural resource officers.

Firewood that comes from untenured Crown land cannot be sold, although it can be cut for personal use once a permit is obtained.

If you would like to cut firewood on vacant Crown land for personal use, you can obtain a free permit by contacting the Cariboo-Chilcotin District Office at 120 - 640 Borland St., Williams Lake, or by obtaining an application form online at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/dcc/#second

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261