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SFNF Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District Offers Permits for Free Firewood

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SANTA FE, NM – Sept. 2, 2022 – Districts on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) and Carson National Forest most impacted by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire are issuing free personal-use fuelwood permits for up to five cords of dead and down timber.

SFNF free-use permits will be valid for collecting firewood on the Pecos/Las Vegas District outside the current fire closure. Permit holders will receive load tags, a fuelwood cutting map and guidelines for harvesting the wood.

“Wood from these mountains has been sustaining a traditional way of life in Northern New Mexico for centuries. We understand how important this resource is to our communities,” acting SFNF Supervisor James Duran said. “We are doing everything we can to help the communities impacted by the fire prepare for the coming winter.”

SFNF free-use permits can be obtained at:

  • Las Vegas Ranger Station – 1926 N. 7th Street, Las Vegas NM – 505-425-3534
  • Pecos Ranger Station – 32 S. Main Street, Pecos, NM – 505-757-6121
  • Supervisor’s Office – 11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM – 505-438-5300

Free-use permits valid for the Carson National Forest are also available at the Carson Supervisor’s Office in Taos and the Camino Real and Questa Ranger Stations.  The free-use permits are a separate program from the fuelwood distribution sites that will be managing the logs from fuelbreaks implemented during fire suppression. Once the distribution plan is finalized, the forests will issue a separate news release.

The free-use permits are good for up to five cords and can be used in conjunction with the $20 permits that allow permit holders to collect up to 10 cords. Both permits expire on Dec. 31, 2022. The free-use permits are only valid on the Pecos/Las Vegas District. All other districts on the SFNF require a paid permit. Fuelwood load tags must be attached to each quarter of cord or less of firewood, punched or marked correctly, and visible from the vehicle’s rear before transport.

Permit holders should be prepared for unpredictable weather and are advised to check with the local Ranger District office (Santa FeCarson) or the New Mexico Department of Transportation website for current road and weather conditions. As a reminder, only travel on roads designated open on the Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) (Santa FeCarson) unless the permit specifies otherwise or is within a closure area. MVUMs are available for download and paper maps are free at all Forest Service Offices.

Firewood permit holders should also ensure they have the appropriate equipment to harvest and safely transport the wood home. Forest Service staff may be in the cutting areas to check permits and answer questions.

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