Fuelwood permits available in Cameron beginning this month

WILLIAMS, Ariz. - The Kaibab National Forest will issue free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial oak fuelwood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District out of the Forest Service office in Cameron, which is located just south of the Cameron Chapter House, two days per month beginning in May.

The fuelwood permits will be available out of the Cameron office from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on the following dates:

• May 12 and May 23

• June 17 and June 27

• July 15 and July 25

• Aug. 8 and Aug. 26

• Sept. 9 and Sept. 26

• Oct. 10 and Oct. 28

• Nov. 12 and Nov. 21

• Dec. 5 and Dec. 12

Personal-use permits for dead and down and dead standing wood will be $5 per cord. Each permit will require a minimum purchase of $20. Free use and ceremonial oak permits will also be available.

Permits are also available at the Tusayan Ranger District office during regular business hours Monday through Friday.

Changes to this year's fuelwood program

All individuals obtaining fuelwood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest need to be aware of upcoming changes to the fuelwood program. The Travel Management Rule (TMR) is expected to be implemented on the Tusayan Ranger District this summer.

TMR is a federal regulation that requires all national forests and grasslands to designate a system of roads, trails and areas for motorized use, and to prohibit all motor vehicle use off the designated system.

When TMR is officially implemented, free Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) will be made available to members of the public showing the roads, trails and areas open to motor vehicle use.

• As of Aug. 1, all fuelwood permit holders for the Tusayan Ranger District are asked to contact the district office to receive a copy of the MVUM to ensure they are in compliance with the travel management policy.

When TMR is implemented on the Tusayan Ranger District, fuelwood gathering will continue to be allowed. However, motor vehicles will not be allowed to travel cross-country. In an effort to provide easily accessible fuelwood after TMR is implemented, the Tusayan district will have specific areas identified in which cross-country travel will be allowed for the purposes of gathering fuelwood.

For additional information about the fuelwood program on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, please contact the Tusayan Ranger District office at (928) 638-2443, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Grand Canyon, during business hours Monday through Friday. Additional information on the forest fuelwood program is available on the Kaibab National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/fuelwood. For additional information on TMR on the Kaibab National Forest, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/tmr.

For information on the availability of fuelwood permits out of the Forest Service office in Cameron, please contact Mae Franklin at (928) 679-2037 or mfranklin@fs.fed.us.