Free firewood at Wrights Lake area

Free public firewood gathering will again be available at the Wrights Lake Recreation Area on the Eldorado National Forest to this weekend.

The area was hit by a severe wind storm almost a year ago, causing more than 200 trees to fall. As part of the clean-up effort, the Forest Service has scheduled a series of woodcutting events which allow people to cut and gather firewood in an area normally closed to fuel wood cutting. The gate will be open Nov. 8-9 rom 9am-4pm. Free non-commercial use permits will be issued on site.

The following rules will be in effect during the event:

• Permit is for personal use only. No commercial wood gathering for resale will be allowed.
• No early entry will be allowed.
• Public not involved in the wood gathering will need to park outside the gate in the overflow parking area.
• Wood cutters must remain on existing paved roads, pull-outs and spurs, and must not block roads, gates or closure barriers.
• Only newly wind downed logs will be permitted for cutting. Older weathered logs must be left on site.
• Woodcutters must check out and exit the gate prior to 4pm each day.
• Members of the public not honoring these rules will be asked to leave.