Personal Fuelwood
The Personal Fuelwood Permit, also referred to as a Personal Use Firewood Permit or Woodcutting Permit can be purchased that allow you to cut firewood on the Lassen National Forest.
- Permits are for noncommercial, personal use only.
- Cost of firewood permits for 2025 are $20.00 for 10 cords.
- These fuelwood permits are only good for cutting on the Lassen National Forest.
- Permit tags are sold with a map of the forest and firewood cutting regulations, specific for the Lassen National Forest.
Mail in Personal Fuelwood Permit
Key Reminders and Rules
It is your responsibility to know and follow all fuelwood cutting requirements, rules and regulations.
Snags are dead trees. Falling snags within 100 feet of a paved road or within 200 feet of a railroad or power lines is prohibited.
Dead hardwood trees may not be felled anywhere.
With the exception of lodgepole pine, the falling of snags is limited to trees 20 inches in diameter or smaller.
Downed trees are dead trees that are down on the ground, not standing. No restrictions, unless otherwise signed or marked.
An individual may be a cutter or transporter for up to two 3rd party permits per year.
Gathering fuelwood in closure areas is prohibited. This includes the Park Fire Closure area.
You must follow all Travel Management rules and use marked Forest Service roads when searching for fuelwood. Visit our Maps page for additional Motor Vehicle Use Maps.
The ability to cut can change daily depending on our Project Activity Level (PAL) whether we are in Fire Restrictions or not. Ideally this will allow more flexibility for fuelwood cutters.
Persons with a valid Forest Service fuelwood permit may use a chainsaw to cut fuelwood if the daily fire indices permit. To determine if woodcutting is permitted on a given day, call 530-257-9553, prior to cutting wood. A recorded message will notify woodcutters if the next day is 1’oclock shut-down, open all day (no restrictions), or no woodcutting allowed that day.
NOTE: After 4:30 pm, the recording will be updated to the following days information.
This information can now easily be obtained on The PAL Dashboards website:
Project Activity Level (PAL)
PAL is a decision support tool designed to help fire and timber resource managers establish the level of industrial precaution for the following day. Check the PAL Dashboard here.
PAL's relationship to cutting regulations:
- Open all day cutting = PAL of A,B,C and D
- 1 o’clock chainsaw shut down = PAL of E/V
- No cutting permitted All Day = PAL of E
For cutting in Zone 3 = Use Ladder Butte weather station (40723) PAL
For cutting in Zone 4 = Use Chester weather station (40904) PAL
For cutting in Zone 5 = Use Bogard weather station (40703) PAL
Refer to the Districts listed on your fuelwood cutting map for further information.
Firewood cutters are recommended to contact their local Ranger District offices for information regarding forest road closures during winter months or fire restrictions banning firewood cutting temporarily during fire season.
For questions about permits, or to inquire about commercial firewood cutting, contact the nearest Lassen National Forest Ranger District Office.
*Note: The Forest Supervisors office in Susanville, does not sell Firewood Permits. The closest office is the Eagle Lake District Office at the top of the hill north of town. Please call us with questions. 530-257-2151.