Where do you get firewood on the desert

Old-Biscuit wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I do like mesquite but haven't tried mosquite.......bet you have to round up a bunch to even get a fire to start. My arms would be very tired whacking that many :B

A buddy had some palo verde trees that he had removed and brought it as firewood........gave us all headaches and left a sour smell in our noses......no thanks!

Good catch;:S Palo verde is two words not one. I must be gettig older.
A chainsaw makes it much easier. If you know where to look it can be found 6" diameter or larger. Acacia and desert willow also good for campfires. In the high desert there is juniper and pinion.

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I do like mesquite but haven't tried mosquite.......bet you have to round up a bunch to even get a fire to start. My arms would be very tired whacking that many :B

A buddy had some palo verde trees that he had removed and brought it as firewood........gave us all headaches and left a sour smell in our noses......no thanks!

tatest wrote:
If you want wood fires, you will have to buy wood from someone who brings it into the desert. Unless you are talking about the wetter deserts where some brush and mesquite grows, but most of the places you will be permitted to set up your RV, vegetation is likely to be protected.

Desert natives will build dung fires.

I wonder what the DW will have to say if I suggest we go dung hunting :E

amandasgramma wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I have the rules for the Long Term camping in the BLM areas around Quartzsite. It says " Do not collect wood within LTVAs. You may not possess native firewood (i.e., mesquite, ironwood, palo verde) within LTVAs. "............don't want to see someone arrested because we've put the wrong info out. :)

I said unless otherwise posted, LTVA is one of those. The OP did not specify where.

Ranger Smith wrote:
Firewood . . . Desert . . . ?????
Does it get cold there???

Soon as the sun goes down in the winter you will be rushing to grab your sweater and long pants. Been there, done that.

Desert Captain wrote:
You can bring it :B or buy it. :E Buying = not much wood for a lot of $$$.

Depends on where you buy. Convenience stores, Walmarts etc. are very expensive. But there are several firewood sellers scattered around AZ. I buy wood from a guy in Phoenix. $15 for a wheelbarrow full. Prices goes way down if you buy more.

Ranger Smith wrote:
Firewood . . . Desert . . . ?????
Does it get cold there???

It gets below freezing quite often in the open desert. Hard freezes into the 20's also occur although only a few times a year in Jan-Feb.

I spent a week in Arizona and never did get cold. Of course it was the middle of the summer.

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I have the rules for the Long Term camping in the BLM areas around Quartzsite. It says " Do not collect wood within LTVAs. You may not possess native firewood (i.e., mesquite, ironwood, palo verde) within LTVAs. "............don't want to see someone arrested because we've put the wrong info out. :)

When camping on gov. lands in areas like AZ. deserts you may not possess wood native to the area. That means when boondocking in the desert, bring or buy. When camping within the boundaries of a national forest, it is permissible to collect dead DOWNED wood from the immediate area for cooking or comfort.
The strongest advice is to buy local from a supplier of certified bug free wood, or from anywhere bring scrap kiln dried construction lumber.
Contact the BLM or USFS supervisors office for regulations in the area you plan to travel.