Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to Open New Firewood Collection Area on the Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District
Release Date: Dec 3, 2018
Elko, NV. – Pinyon pine and juniper were removed from 600 acres on the Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District as part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s hazardous fuels reduction efforts. The public is being allowed to collect firewood in the Harmon Wildland Urban Interface Project area located near the unincorporated town of Harmon and west of Elko County Road 788 (East Ruby Valley Highway).
The public must first purchase a firewood permit at the Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District’s offices in either Elko, Nevada, (60 S. 12th Street, Suite 108/ 775-738-5171) or Wells, Nevada, (140 Pacific Avenue/ 775-752-3357). Firewood permits are only issued for dead and downed wood and cutting of other trees in the project area is prohibited. Firewood permits cost $10 per cord with a two cord minimum and a 10 cord maximum for the year.
“Removing pinyon and juniper is only the first step in treating this area,” said District Ranger Josh Nicholes. “Public firewood gathering is the second step and helps eliminate ground fuel buildup. Depending on the amount of woody material that is removed, the third step might be hand piling of slash followed by pile burning. Treatment options will be analyzed as Forest staff monitor the firewood gathering over the next year.”
The goal of the Harmon Wildland Urban Interface Project is to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat by removing pinyon and juniper that were encroaching into the sagebrush ecosystem. The removal of these trees will reduce the risk of higher intensity wildfires, greater fire control during suppression activities, and improve habitat for native species. For more information about this project you can contact Fuels Specialist, Kevin Thissell at kthissell@fs.fed.us or 775-778-6145.