The Cost is Wild.
Where your firewood comes from matters. It may have been illegally removed from Victoria’s forests and national parks,
destroying valuable wildlife habitat in the process. Before you buy firewood, check that it has been sourced legally.
To help address illegal firewood activity and the harm it causes, we have partnered with the Conservation Regulator.
Much of this illegally sourced timber enters the black market, eventually finding its way into household fireplaces.
If you don’t know where your firewood came from, you can’t be sure it was sourced legally.
Select a heading below to LEARN MORE
Do you know the signs of illegal firewood?
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 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 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.
If prosecuted in court, offenders may face:
- Equipment being seized
- Court penalties up to $10,175
- Up to 12 months in prison
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 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 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.
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.
Don't Fuel Forest Crime
9,000 Trees
The equivalent to the size of almost 180 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
Not all firewood for sale is legal If it’s illegally sourced from forests, it’s contributed to the loss of wildlife habitat.
Each year, around 9,000 trees are illegally removed from Victorian forests and national parks — an area of timber equivalent to almost 180 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
WATCH THE CAMPAIGN
See the campaign in action
Real scenarios, clear consequences, and what you can do to help.
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
Unexplained Wealth Resources
Buy Legal Firewood
Learn how to buy legal firewood, identify suspicious firewood activity and help protect forests and wildlife habitats.
Illegal Firewood Information
Learn how to identify signs of unexplained wealth and report information anonymously.
Illegal Firewood Information – html
Learn how illegal firewood harms wildlife habitat, identify suspicious activity and help protect Victorian forests.
HELP SOLVE CRIME
Seen illegal firewood activity? Report it.
If you’ve seen behaviour that could involve illegal firewood activity, report it to Crime Stoppers 24/7 — anonymously, online or by phone. You choose how much you share.
Record what you can, only if it's safe to do so
Start your report online in minutes
Upload any photos or footage you have
Add details like time, place and a description
Report online anonymously in minutes with the Crime Stoppers Victoria's online reporting platform. Watch how