If you want to cut firewood for this winter on BLM land in Southwest Colorado, you need to do it by Dec. 31.

The BLM Tres Rios field office in Dolores announces that as of Jan. 1, firewood cutting will be prohibited until April 16 to protect winter wildlife habitat.

Fuel wood permits are being issued at $8 per cord, but permits issued now will expire on Dec. 31. Permits are available at the public lands offices in Durango and Dolores. Normally the permits are good for 90 days.

"In order to protect critical wildlife winter habitat and reduce impacts to roads when conditions are wet and often impassable, we are placing these restrictions on cutting firewood," said BLM Fire Management Specialist Brad Pietruszka.

For more information, call him at (970) 882-6820.