Michigan DNR Offers Unique Opportunity For Cheap Firewood

Whether you use firewood to heat your home during the winter or want to purchase some in preparation for bonfire season, finding reliable firewood can be a challenge. Or, even if you manage to find some dry firewood this time of year, it might run you a pretty penny, which many of us can't afford to spare at the moment.

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Oddly enough, there is more firewood than available for those Michiganders who know where to look. Due to the devastating ice storms that froze much of northern Michigan in March, millions of trees were destroyed. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a special that lets Michiganders in need of cheap, readily available firewood purchase a Fuelwood permit and collect a hearty supply.

It's a win-win for everyone.

What is a Fuelwood Permit?

The DNR is promoting an underused program called Fuelwood permits, which allow Michiganders to go onto state-managed land and collect quite a bit of firewood for a mere $20 permit. The permit allowed holders to collect up to 5 standard cords of wood, a stack measuring 4x4x8.

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However, they're allowing permit holders to collect up to 10 cords in areas affected by the storm. The wood must be collected from dead and downed trees within 200 feet of the road.

Where To Get Your Fuelwood

There are three ways to apply for a permit, as well as multiple rules you must adhere to to collect this firewood. But for $20 and gas money, you could get enough wood to heat your home all winter long. It's a pretty stellar deal, honestly. We recommend wearing bright colors, like blaze orange hunting gear, to make yourself more visible in a forest during hunting season.