After a summer of fire closures, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is opening up personal use firewood collection starting on Tuesday.
Woodcutting will be permitting along Swan Lake, Swanson River and Funny River roads, within the Dolly Varden Campground, and the unburned areas within the Upper and Lower Skilak campgrounds.
All harvesting is limited to dead and downed trees within the designated areas, and no standing trees, dead or alive may be felled. No off-roading or ATVs are allowed.
The collection will be by permit only, and one can be obtained free of charge at the refuge headquarters on Ski Hill Road in Soldotna.
The permits allow for collection of up to five chords of firewood for personal, non-commercial use, and they expire on March 31, 2020.