Firewood permits
Members of the public who wish to cut firewood on Crown land for personal use must have a "Free Use Permit for Firewood" from each Natural Resource District where they intend to cut, issued by the appropriate District Manager or designate.
Only dead or downed trees may be cut for firewood
There is no charge for this privilege, only a commitment to abide by a number of simple rules that are outlined in the permit. Each permittee must:
- Carry the permit and associated maps at all times
- Read and understand the conditions of the permit prior to signing, conditions differ between districts
- Produce the permit at the request of a Natural Resource Officer, Conservation Officer or Peace Officer
Cutting firewood on Crown land without this permit may result in confiscation of the wood and charges. It is up to the permit holder to determine whether they are cutting on "vacant Crown land" and not private land or First Nations reserves.
Moving firewood can spread invasive species and diseases. B.C.'s forests are threatened by non-native insects that can damage trees. Moving firewood from one area to another increases the risk of spreading disease, funghi and pests. Plan to burn firewood in the area where you collect it or buy it. Learn more about stopping the spread of invasive species and diseases.
Each district is operated differently so please contact the individual districts where you plan on cutting for more information, and remember to carry your permit with you at all times.
Any firewood cut under this permit is for personal use only and cannot be sold. For information on commercial firewood cutting permits, please contact your local Ministry office and inquire about the Small Scale Salvage program.
Permits listed by region
To determine which district you are interested in a permit from, refer to the district/region map (PNG 30.7 MB) (Note: this map is not a firewood boundary map, see list below for district boundary maps).
Sea to Sky permit (online form)
- Google Earth overlay (KMZ 1 MB) showing restricted areas (areas with coloured polygon overlays are prohibited collection areas under this permit)
Campbell River permit (online form)
Haida Gwaii permit (PDF 63 KB)
North Island-Central Coast permit (online form)
- Overview Map (PDF 27.5 MB)
- Holberg map (PDF 990 KB)
- Malcolm Island map (PDF 878 KB)
- Nimpkish map (PDF 1.7 MB)
- Port Alice map (PDF 1.7 MB)
- Port Hardy map (PDF 1.6 MB)
- Port McNeill map (PDF 1.7 MB)
- Woss map (PDF 1.6 MB)
South Island permit (online form)
- Port Alberni/Bamfield maps:
- Overview Map of Cous Firewood Area (PDF 444 KB)
- Cous Firewood Block 1 (PDF 225 KB)
- Cous Firewood Block 6 (PDF 305 KB)
- Cous Firewood Block 9 (PDF 245 KB)
- Cous Firewood Block 11 (PDF 236 KB)
- Cous Firewood Block 14 (PDF 311 KB)
- Cous Main Blk 4 (PDF 217 KB)
- Cous Road CU401C blk 15D (131 KB)
- Cous Road CU402 Blk_2 (PDF 170 KB)
- Bam Main Block 062215 (PDF 445 KB)
- Bam Main Block 062219 (PDF 653 KB)
- Bam Main Block 171117 (PDF 523 KB)
- Bam Main Block 171125 (PDF 437 KB)
- Bam Main - Museum Block 171122 (PDF 996 KB)
- AVCF Firewood Map - Blocks W20 and W21 (PDF 995 KB)
- Lake Cowichan maps:
- No available areas at this time
- Ladysmith maps:
- No available areas at this time.
- West Coast maps:
- No available areas at this time