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- Details
- Written by: Mendocino National Forest
The permit and tags cost $2 per cord with a minimum purchase required of $20 for 10 cords.
The maximum number of cords that can be purchased is 12 cords per household. Permits are valid through Dec. 31, 2023.
Visitors can purchase a permit in person at the Supervisor's Office in Willows or from the Upper Lake District Office. It is suggested to bring a completed permit request form to ease the purchase.
Supervisor’s Office
825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows
Telephone: 530-934-3316
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
Upper Lake District Office
10025 Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake
Telephone: 707-275-2361
Call for days and hours
Permits may also be obtained via mail by downloading a firewood permit request form at https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mendocino/firewood and following the mail-in instructions. Please allow three weeks to receive the permit, tags and the map of cutting areas on the forest. A third-party authorization form to allow another person to cut wood for the permit-holder is also available upon request.
It is illegal to remove firewood from the forest without a valid permit. Any wood removed from the forest must be dead and on the ground.
The maximum length for a piece of wood to be removed is 6 feet.
A cord of wood is a well-stacked pile measuring 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet. A chart with truck bed sizes and approximate cord capacity is available online at https://bit.ly/3kxoocW.
Firewood collected within Lake and Mendocino counties is subject to state and federal quarantines to limit the spread of the Sudden Oak Death, or SOD, pathogen.
Firewood taken from these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantined counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, Monterrey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Trinity counties.
After several rounds of winter storms, access into the forest on both county roads and forest roads has been significantly impacted. Visitors should call or check for latest conditions and closure alerts at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mendocino/alerts-notices.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
This grant funded project will support hyper local communities around the lake by hosting various events to increase social cohesion within neighborhoods, empowering their capacity for resiliency in times of disaster.
Examples of upcoming events are Neighborfest, Firewise Councils, Climate Safe Lake Focus Groups and Neighborhood Actions Days.
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning, sometimes isolating entire neighborhoods. NHN events will build stronger, more resilient neighborhoods by creating opportunities for neighbors to connect, have fun, create trust, and become better prepared to overcome life’s storms.
Ten neighborhoods have been prioritized for the NHN project. Tammy Alakszay, NCO’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project manager explained that “neighborhoods were chosen based on multiple factors, such as, access to services, current resources from partner agencies, the potential for isolation in time of disaster, and the existence of community members willing to serve as local leaders for their neighborhoods.”
Alakszay hopes that one of the sustained effects of the project will be the development of more Firewise and Firesafe communities in Lake County.
NHN’s official kick off is Saturday, April 15, with the Konocti Bay Neighborfest at Galilee Lutheran Church.
The pilot event will introduce Galilee’s Resiliency Hub as a resource for times of non-evacuation disaster for this neighborhood, where no other Community Based Organizations are located.
Neighborfest is part of the Resilient Neighborhoods Network, a community powered framework for resilience and engagement modeled after San Francisco's Neighborhood Empowerment Network and the Neighbor-to-Neighbor concept of preparedness as a shared responsibility.
In a disaster you and your neighbors may be the only resource until help arrives. Research has shown that the more connected neighbors are to each other, the stronger their resilience is before, during, and after an emergency.
Partners for the project include but are not limited to NCO, the American Red Cross, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, LCOE, North Shore Fire Fund and hyper local partners such as Galilee Lutheran Church, Scott’s Valley Neighbors, Wolf Creek Firewise Community, among others.
Shannon Kimbell-Auth with the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program observed, “It’s exciting to be part of this project because responding to disaster is a team effort. In Lake County we have a pretty amazing team.”
To learn more about Neighbors Helping Neighbors contact Tammy Alakszay at 707.998.8643 or
- Details
- Written by: California Water Service
LIHWAP is a federally funded program offering a one-time benefit of up to $15,000 per household for past-due or current bills.
Cal Water residential customers can check their eligibility to receive assistance from LIHWAP based on income, place of residence and other factors.
Applications must be submitted through local, community-based organizations listed by county.
Recipients of CalFresh, CalWORKS and LIHEAP are automatically income-qualified for LIHWAP assistance.
“Our top priority is to provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable water service to our customers, yet we recognize that customers sometimes have difficulty making ends meet and paying their bills,” said Cal Water CEO and President Martin A. Kropelnicki. “That is why we provide — or work with other agencies to provide — these customers access to financial assistance like LIHWAP, one of many assistance programs available to Cal Water customers.”
“California recognizes that water and wastewater services are essential for public health and well-being, and the department is committed to assisting low-income Californians in need of financial support to keep their water flowing," said CSD Director David Scribner.
In addition to encouraging its customers to access LIHWAP assistance, Cal Water offers:
• Customer Assistance Program, or CAP: Customers who meet maximum income limits or are enrolled in a qualified public assistance program may qualify for a monthly discount on their water bill.
• PromisePay payment arrangements: Residential customers with a past-due balance may be eligible to privately enroll in flexible, customizable, interest-free PromisePay payment plans.
• Alternative payment arrangements: If customers do not qualify for PromisePay and have a past-due balance that’s difficult to manage, then they may still be able to split payments among several months to pay off the full balance.
• Payment extensions: If customers need more time to pay their bill, then they may be able to defer payment to a later date.
For more information on LIHWAP, please visit www.calwater.com/lihwap. For more information on Cal Water’s other customer assistance programs, visit www.calwater.com/assistance. LIHWAP also helps pay down wastewater bills; customers should inquire with their wastewater provider to see if it participates in the program.
- Details
- Written by: Caltrans
The series of events from March 17 to 27 were part of the Clean California initiative, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1.2 billion, multiyear cleanup effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities to transform public spaces.
“Clean California is empowering communities and restoring pride in our shared spaces up and down the state, and I thank the thousands of Californians who banded together for the Community Days events to beautify and transform their neighborhoods,” said Gov. Newsom. “By making a difference at the local level, we are helping create a cleaner, more beautiful California for all.”
Clean California Community Days included:
• Hundreds of local events including: 58 tree planting/gardening events with 363 trees planted; 265 community trash collection events; 202 public community cleanups; 39 educational and entertainment events; and six temporary public art installations.
• 1.64 million pounds of trash collected during the 11-day period – five times the weight of the Statue of Liberty.
• More than 10,500 volunteers participated in community beautification efforts.
“The overwhelming response and participation from Californians throughout the state to transform community spaces demonstrates the power of Clean California,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “With the support of Governor Newsom and the commitment of our communities, we are reducing litter and making lasting positive change.”
“Californians are looking for ways to engage in their communities to green and beautify neighborhoods, and Clean California is a powerful way for them to take action,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.
Clean California will continue to engage communities and raise awareness on the negative impact litter has on natural resources, waterways, public safety and public health, driving a cultural shift of shared responsibility and instilling community pride for the cleanliness of our roadways and public spaces.
The recently launched “Zero Litter is the Goal” campaign focuses on volunteerism, community activation and grassroots partnerships to maintain the positive momentum of Clean California Community Days.
To encourage local-level engagement, Caltrans is also developing a program in which communities throughout the state can earn a special Clean California designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling, and greening or beautifying neighborhoods.
To support communities with tools and resources, Caltrans will be providing downloadable public education materials on topics such as litter prevention, volunteer recruitment, and K-12 materials. Additionally, members of the community are encouraged to continue to organize their own cleanup events and can get started by visiting CleanCA.com.
Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and local partners have removed 1.45 million cubic yards of litter from state highways – the equivalent of more than 24,400 tons or enough trash to fill the Rose Bowl over 3½ times. Caltrans has hired more than 850 team members as part of Clean California.
Clean California grants have funded 231 projects to revitalize and beautify underserved communities, some of which are already complete and now sources of community pride. In February, Gov. Newsom announced a new round of $100 million in grants for local beautification projects.