Firewood available from the Hayden fire more than a month after it started

LEADORE — About 20 cords of firewood are available for pickup by permit on a first-come, first-served basis in the area of the Hayden Fire.

In a news released dated August 23, officials with Salmon-Challis National Forest say the wood is stacked along the road in the Mill and Big Eightmile Creek drainages.

Those interested in collecting firewood are required to follow specific rules, which include no cutting wood within 200 feet of administrative sites, developed campgrounds, picnic areas and other areas closed to firewood cutting.

Cutting firewood is also prohibited within 300 feet of streams, lakes, ponds, or wet, boggy areas. Falling or dragging trees across streams isn’t allowed, either.

“Do not cut trees that are signed, painted, and protected for other resource purposes,” the news release says.

The U.S. Forest Service defines a cord of wood as 128 cubic feet that is eight feet long, four feet wide and four feet high.

RELATED | Hayden Fire near Leadore grows to 24,000 acres

The latest information on Inciweb indicates the Hayden Fire has burned 24,706 acres since it started on July 19. The blaze started in “steep and difficult terrain with spruce/subalpine fir” trees about 18 miles west of Leadore. Earlier this month, firefighters were working to build a line to confine the blaze. It’s 84% complete, as of Aug. 28.

No injuries have been reported and an investigation into the cause is ongoing, according to SCNF spokeswoman Amy Baumer.

Baumer tells EastIdahoNews.com there’s been very little change in fire conditions over the last several weeks, and fire activity in the area is minimal. The estimated date of full containment is October 1.

“If we get a season-ending event sooner than that, they’ll change that,” says Baumer.

Meanwhile, closures and evacuations associated with the fire have come to an end. Salmon-Challis National Forest Officials made the announcement on its Facebook page in two separate posts last week.

The Hayden Fire is one of 21 fires in Salmon-Challis National Forest this summer. Eighteen of those fires are out, as of Aug. 28. The Elkhorn Fire, which started on July 24 on the south side of the main Salmon River, is another large blaze. It had burned 26,048 acres, as of Aug. 18, and the fire line was 88% complete.

Anyone with questions about the firewood or personal firewood rules can call the Public Lands Center in Salmon at (208) 756-5100.