TUSAYAN – The Kaibab National Forest advises fuelwood harvesters with cutting permits for the 2017 firewood season to ensure they don’t accidentally cut live oak.
Some areas of the Kaibab National Forest, especially on the Tusayan Ranger District, experienced a late-season freeze that may have killed some leaves on oak trees. The trees may look dead, but they are not. Fuelwood permits are valid only for oak trees that are dead and down or standing dead but are not valid for live oak.
Josh Giles, silviculturist for the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts, urges fuelwood permit holders to “be vigilant in ensuring that oak trees are actually dead when harvesting them for firewood.”
The Kaibab National Forest advises the following to test and ensure oak trees are dead prior to cutting:
- Check to see if you can bend the limbs without them breaking. Be sure to check several limbs of varying sizes. If the limbs are pliable, then the tree is still green and should not be harvested.
- Scratch the surface of the oak tree with a knife or similar object. If you can see green just under the bark surface, then the tree is still alive and should not be harvested.
Giles adds that, although “the late freeze may look like it had a drastic effect on the oaks, they will bounce back in a very short time.”
Firewood cutting permits can be purchased at the following locations and during the specified hours Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays:
- Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
- Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
- North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; (928) 643-7395