Silver City, NM, January 21, 2019— The Gila National Forest will be allowing the use of personal fuelwood permits for the duration of the partial government shutdown, while our offices are closed and national forest fuelwood permits are not available.

The forest recognizes our neighboring communities' dependence upon fuelwood for heating and cooking, and will be allowing the collection of fuelwood for personal use only with the following stipulations:

• The 2019 fuelwood permits are four (4) cords for $20.00, with a minimum purchase of $20.00. Upon re-opening of the USDA Forest Service offices, the fuelwood cutter or his designated person will come into one of our six district offices and purchase a fuelwood permit.
• If the fuelwood cutter would prefer to cut in a designated free-use fuelwood area, the four cord minimum applies, and the cutter or his designee will come into one of our six district offices upon re-opening and get a free-use fuelwood permit.
• All rules and regulations, including the Travel Management rule, must be adhered to. For a copy of the 2018 Firewood Guide, please go to here.

Law enforcement officers continue to patrol and enforce regulations, so if you are stopped by law enforcement please provide your name and contact information, so that law enforcement can follow up after the reopening of the government. In addition, if you still have fuelwood tags from a permit purchase made in 2018, the Gila National Forest has chosen to honor these tags until the partial shutdown ends.