Firewood

Many homes are heated by wood in the Bella Coola valley, so firewood is an important by-product of logging. The Community Forest encourages use of scrap wood for firewood by facilitating delivery to commercial suppliers and once logging is complete, all areas are open to the public for salvaging. See the firewood map and directions under ‘What’s New’ tab on this site for areas currently open for firewood salvage.

During logging operations, logs that do not meet saw log quality and size specifications, but are suitable for firewood are set aside at roadside. Some of this poor quality wood is transported to commercial firewood suppliers and the rest is left to make it easy for people to come and cut their own firewood.

Sometimes there is a delay between when logging operations are done and when an area is opened for firewood cutting. This is because the amount of slash residue that is left following logging needs to be assessed, quantified and reported to government for cut control and stumpage payment. Once this assessment is done, then the area is made available for salvaging.

Slash accumulates at landings and along road sides during logging and as part of our reforestation obligations, we still need to reforest roadside edges and landings. Therefore, slash is piled into ‘beehives’ to minimize the area that is covered by thick slash and to make it easier to dispose of this excess slash by burning it during low hazard conditions (usually late fall). Therefore, people wishing to gather firewood, should do so as soon as an area is made available in order to get the amount they want.

Firewood salvagers should acquire a free Firewood Permit from Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations office at the Airport in Hagensborg. Those wishing to purchase firewood from the Community Forest should contact Chris Matthews at 250-982-0040.