The spring 2017 Firewood Collection Season will close across Victoria on November 30

Forest Fire Management Victoria acting assistant Fire Control Officer, Peter Kambouris said from Friday December 1, all designated firewood collection areas will be closed over the Summer period.

“It will be illegal for people to collect firewood on public land until the start of the Autumn Firewood Collection Season,” he said. 

“Firewood collection may already have ceased in some parts of the state where supplies are exhausted or where rainfall or flooding has affected track conditions making collection unsafe.” 

“The public will be able to start collecting firewood again from designated firewood collection areas from the 1st of March 2018, pending suitable conditions.”

Forest Fire Management Victoria staff will be patrolling parks, forests and reserves to ensure people are doing the right thing. 

Firewood collection is only permitted during designated times of the year and from designated firewood collection areas. 

Firewood collected at these sites is for personal use only and cannot be sold. 

Typical on-the-spot fines are around $622 and for offences that go to court, a person may be liable for fines up to $7773, one year imprisonment or both. 

Any information the community may have about the illegal removal of firewood from public land for sale can be reported to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning by calling 136 186 and quoting ‘Operation Block Splitter’.