Fuelwood Available near Thomas Mountain
Date: Aug 5, 2010

San Bernardino, Calif., August 5, 2010 – The U.S. Forest Service is opening a “Special Fuelwood Gathering Area” on Thomas Mountain near Garner Valley. This Special Fuelwood Gathering Area will be available for three consecutive weekends starting Saturday August 28th and ending on Sunday September 12, 2010. Gathering hours will be from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Gathering will also be permitted Labor Day Monday, Sept 6th.

The purpose of this activity is to thin live trees and to remove smaller dead trees from the stand to promote forest health and to increase the fire resiliency of the tree stand.

For fuelwood permit holders that plan to gather in this area, the following apply:

• You may cut/buck standing trees that have been marked with blue paint by Forest Service personnel. (Fuelwood permit holders may collect dead and down wood from other areas of Thomas Mountain.)
• Cables, winches and limited off-road travel will be permitted.
• Collection outside of these dates / times will not be allowed due to the need to apply Sporax, a topical Fungicide used to prevent Annosus root diseases.
• Forest Service Staff will be onsite on Thomas Mountain during the project to apply Sporax and to answer Fuel wood Permit questions and Forest Health questions.

Members of the public may purchase Fuelwood Collection Permits at the Idyllwild Ranger Station between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The cost is $20.00 for 2 cords, and $10 for each additional cord, to a maximum of 10 cords per household per year. Permits are valid for two months from date of issue.

For further information, please call the Idyllwild Ranger Station at 909-382-2921.