Forest Fire Management Victoria’s Murray Goldfields district manager Adrian Parker also reminded residents that restrictions are still in place regarding firewood collection in Cohuna.
Only residents of Campaspe, Gannawarra and Loddon shire councils and Swan Hill Rural City can collect wood at the designated firewood collection area at Cohuna.
“It’s important that people only collect firewood from designated collection areas in state forests where collection is allowed and is for personal use only and cannot be sold,” Mr Parker said.
“These designated collection areas are put in place to protect sites of cultural and environmental significance.
“It is important to stay within collection limits, which are in place to prevent households stockpiling large volumes of firewood from public land and denying others a supply.”
Collection limits include a maximum of two cubic metres per person per day and a maximum of 16 cubic metres per household per financial year.
The felling of trees and cutting downed hollow logs for firewood is also prohibited, at all times of the year.
“We have a zero-tolerance approach to anyone breaking our firewood collection laws,” Mr Parker said.
“Authorised officers are patrolling parks, forests and reserves to ensure people are doing the right thing while collecting their firewood.”
Information and updates, including interactive maps showing designated collection areas, will be available on www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood from Sunday or you can call 136 186.
To report illegal or suspicious behaviour in public land areas, contact the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning on 136 186.
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