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Firewood Collection Season Extension

The autumn firewood collection season in Gippsland will be extended until Sunday July 8 due to the flood and storm events in June that made some forest roads and tracks impassable.

By DSE - 22nd June 2012 - Back to News

DSE’s Land and Fire Regional Manager Gippsland, Grange Jephcott said this extension

recognises the impacts of the recent floods and storms, particularly in the east of the region.

"We understand that it has been difficult in some places to get to designated areas to collect

domestic firewood supplies, so this is a one-off extension to give people the opportunity to do that

before the season closes for the winter months."

Mr Jephcott said this ability to vary the firewood collection season would not be possible in future,

so he encouraged people to ensure they have their firewood supply arrangements in place during

the Spring and Autumn collection periods.

"DSE staff have been working hard to clean up forest areas after storm damage, but please ensure

that you take care and check the state of the local roads and tracks before heading out to collect

firewood," he said.

"Contact your local DSE or Parks Victoria office for local advice and a map of designated firewood

collection areas, or go to the DSE website: www.dse.vic.gov.au

"People collecting firewood after this extended period will be doing the wrong thing and DSE will be

conducting targeted patrols in forests and parks to check for illegal activities.

"The next opportunity to collect firewood from public land, for personal use only, will be the

commencement of the spring firewood collection season on September 1.

"In the meantime, people purchasing firewood should check that they are buying it from a legal

source, such as someone who has a commercial forest produce licence from the Department of

Primary Industries.

"If you purchase wood sourced from public land by an unlicensed operator, then you are

supporting an illegal activity and denying firewood to individuals who want to collect their own

wood."

Continues…

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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