Collecting your own firewood is a cheap alternative to paying for pre-cut wood. Unless you are harvesting wood off of your own property, however, check with the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the regulations in your state. Collecting firewood in Washington can be simple if you follow BLM guidelines.
Obtain a permit by signing a contract and paying a fee at a local District Bureau of Land Management office. You must agree that any activities conducted in association with the contract are done at your own risk. Fees are $10 per cord of wood plus a 10 percent road-use fee. For example, to collect 10 cords of wood, it would cost $100 for the wood plus $10 for road use. The road fee is a one-time fee.
The contract issued by the District BLM office is valid for the amount of time determined by that specific office and must be with you at all times while cutting or transporting firewood. It cannot be transferred to other users. Contract lengths vary due to a number of factors, including the amount of land designated available for firewood cutting and the number of firewood-permit holders in the district. A load label will be issued, identifying you as the holder of the contract, the area you're allowed to cut in, the amount of cords of wood that you've been contracted to cut, and the date of termination of the contract. Load labels given must be visible and securely attached to the end of the firewood load.
Follow the stipulations laid out in the contract, including that you: cut only dead wood; don't cut trees or bush with signage (reserved for wildlife); don't cut down cedar trees; don't trespass on areas outside of the "location of sale"; don't disturb or cut wooden structures or log cabins; respect public lands by picking up messes and not driving on soft roads with heavy loads; and protect timbered lands by helping to prevent forest fires.
