Buying firewood?
Where firewood comes from matters. It may have been illegally cut down from our forests and national parks – destroying wildlife habitat. Check your firewood is legal before you buy.
Report illegal firewood activity to Crime Stoppers.
We have launched a new campaign with the Conservation Regulator that encourages Victorians to check their firewood has been legally sourced and report illegal activity.
Buying firewood?
Where firewood comes from matters. It may have been illegally cut down from our forests and national parks – destroying wildlife habitat. Check your firewood is legal before you buy. Find out how here (website).
Report illegal firewood activity to Crime Stoppers.
To address this issue and harm caused by illegal firewood activity, the Conservation Regulator and Crime Stoppers Victoria have launched campaign ‘Illegal Firewood’, to educate and encourage in Victoria.
Do you know the signs of illegal firewood activity?
Select a heading below to learn more.
Around 9,000 trees, equivalent to the size of almost 180 Melbourne Cricket Grounds, are illegally removed from Victorian forests and national parks each year, with much of that timber entering the black market and ending up in household fireplaces.
If you do not know where your firewood has come from, you cannot be sure it has been sourced legally.
Illegal firewood collection damages cultural heritage and wildlife habitat in Victoria’s forests and national parks.
Firewood can be collected in designated areas during set seasons, for personal use.
Selling firewood collected from these areas is illegal.
Collecting firewood outside of these areas is illegal.
Potential Signs of Illegal Firewood Collection
- Recently cut or damaged trees.
- Damaged vegetation, or habitat disturbance.
- Debris, waste, or signs of poor site practices.
- Chainsaws running at night or outside permitted hours.
- Trailers loaded with wood entering and exiting forests repeatedly.
- Activity in protected, signed, or no-collection areas.
- Vehicles parked off-road or in unusual/closed locations.
- Secretive behaviour or leaving quickly when noticed.
- Collecting large amounts or making frequent trips.
Illegal collection can wipe out habitat used by native species like:
- Possums
- Gliders
- Bats
- Birds
- Reptiles
Many depend on tree hollows in both standing and fallen timber.
Illegal firewood collection can:
- Destroy critical wildlife habitat, especially mature trees and fallen timber.
- Remove hollow-bearing wood, which many animals rely on to survive.
- Damage long-term forest health and ecosystem sustainability.
- Strip entire areas of mature trees.
- Harm Aboriginal cultural scarred trees.
If prosecuted in court, offenders may face:
- Equipment being seized
- Court penalties up to $10,175
- Up to 12 months in prison
Check before you buy
- Buy from reputable suppliers.
- Find out where it comes from.
- Ask for a receipt and ABN.
Illegal firewood collection damages cultural heritage and wildlife habitat in Victoria’s forests and national parks.
Firewood can be collected in designated areas during set seasons, for personal use.
Selling firewood collected from these areas is illegal.
Collecting firewood outside of these areas is illegal.
Potential Signs of Illegal Firewood Collection
- Recently cut or damaged trees.
- Damaged vegetation, or habitat disturbance.
- Debris, waste, or signs of poor site practices.
- Chainsaws running at night or outside permitted hours.
- Trailers loaded with wood entering and exiting forests repeatedly.
- Activity in protected, signed, or no-collection areas.
- Vehicles parked off-road or in unusual/closed locations.
- Secretive behaviour or leaving quickly when noticed.
- Collecting large amounts or making frequent trips.
Illegal collection can wipe out habitat used by native species like:
- Possums
- Gliders
- Bats
- Birds
- Reptiles
Many depend on tree hollows in both standing and fallen timber.
Illegal firewood collection can:
- Destroy critical wildlife habitat, especially mature trees and fallen timber.
- Remove hollow-bearing wood, which many animals rely on to survive.
- Damage long-term forest health and ecosystem sustainability.
- Strip entire areas of mature trees.
- Harm Aboriginal cultural scarred trees.
If prosecuted in court, offenders may face:
- Equipment being seized
- Court penalties up to $10,175
- Up to 12 months in prison
Illegal firewood collection damages cultural heritage and wildlife habitat in Victoria’s forests and national parks.
Firewood can be collected in designated areas during set seasons, for personal use.
Selling firewood collected from these areas is illegal.
Collecting firewood outside of these areas is illegal.
Potential Signs of Illegal Firewood Collection
- Recently cut or damaged trees.
- Damaged vegetation, or habitat disturbance.
- Debris, waste, or signs of poor site practices.
- Chainsaws running at night or outside permitted hours.
- Trailers loaded with wood entering and exiting forests repeatedly.
- Activity in protected, signed, or no-collection areas.
- Vehicles parked off-road or in unusual/closed locations.
- Secretive behaviour or leaving quickly when noticed.
- Collecting large amounts or making frequent trips.
Illegal collection can wipe out habitat used by native species like:
- Possums
- Gliders
- Bats
- Birds
- Reptiles
Many depend on tree hollows in both standing and fallen timber.
Illegal firewood collection can:
- Destroy critical wildlife habitat, especially mature trees and fallen timber.
- Remove hollow-bearing wood, which many animals rely on to survive.
- Damage long-term forest health and ecosystem sustainability.
- Strip entire areas of mature trees.
- Harm Aboriginal cultural scarred trees.
If prosecuted in court, offenders may face:
- Equipment being seized
- Court penalties up to $10,175
- Up to 12 months in prison
Check before you buy
If you’re buying firewood, always ask where it came from. It may have been illegally cut down from our forests, destroying wildlife habitat.
Firewood sold legally typically comes from plantations, commercial suppliers or private land with appropriate permits.
Reputable firewood sellers can prove the source of their firewood with paperwork.
When you buy firewood:
- Buy from reputable suppliers.
- Find out where it comes from.
- Ask for a receipt and ABN.
The wrong firewood purchase comes at a cost to our forests and wildlife. Buy firewood responsibly.
What to look out for...
If you have information, or footage that could assist, report anonymously to Crime Stoppers anytime online.
Remember: You are in control of how much information you share, and you can choose to be anonymous.
If you have information, or footage that could assist, report anonymously to Crime Stoppers anytime online.
Remember: You are in control of how much information you share, and you can choose to be anonymous.
Check before you buy
If you’re buying firewood, always ask where it came from. It may have been illegally cut down from our forests, destroying wildlife habitat.
Firewood sold legally typically comes from plantations, commercial suppliers or private land with appropriate permits.
Reputable firewood sellers can prove the source of their firewood with paperwork.
When you buy firewood:
- Buy from reputable suppliers.
- Find out where it comes from.
- Ask for a receipt and ABN.
The wrong firewood purchase comes at a cost to our forests and wildlife. Buy firewood responsibly.
What to look out for...PAD
Remember: You are in control of how much information you share, and you can choose to be anonymous.