Beetle-kill firewood will be available for $10 per cord through Oct. 31 at the Colorado State Forest in north-central Colorado.
The state forest service is selling the low-cost self-serve permits to encourage removal of dead wood that inhibits new growth and could fuel an intense wildfire. A majority of the state forest’s 28,000 acres of lodgepole pine has been impacted in recent years by mountain pine beetles.
CSFS foresters have already felled the beetle-killed trees in a five-acre area, but permit holders will need to cut or “buck” the felled trees into preferred lengths and load them onto their personal truck or trailer. Only trees no longer housing live bark beetles or their larvae have been identified for removal, making the wood safe to transport.
Interested woodcutters can buy a permit and pick up a map of the firewood area at the CSFS office at 59228 Colorado Highway 14, 6 miles west of Cameron Pass adjacent to Ranger Lakes. A Colorado State Parks pass is not required to gather firewood with a permit.
The Colorado State Forest offers 71,000 acres of forests, jagged peaks and alpine lakes with many miles of access trails. While responsibility for recreation management at the State Forest falls under the jurisdiction of Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the CSFS is responsible for forest management.
For more information about the State Forest firewood program, call 970-723-4505.