Individual Household Firewood Distribution: No Cost Firewood for Tribal Households

Our program provides firewood free of charge to tribal households. This service is made possible through our partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation, and other generous supporters who share our mission to ensure access to safe and sustainable source of heat.

New Scheduling Accountability Policy

If you fail to show up for your scheduled firewood pickup without notifying us in advance, you will receive a strike and will be ‘flagged’ within our scheduling system.

After two strikes, you will no longer be able to schedule yourself for firewood pickups for the remainder of the distribution season.

**Any information or contact details similar to ‘flagged’ individual will be blocked within our system and will not be able to schedule pick-up appointments.**

This policy helps us serve as many community members as possible and ensures that available firewood is distributed efficiently.

Please communicate any scheduling conflicts in advance to avoid losing access to future distributions.

WFL Partnership Program

At Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC), our mission to provide firewood to local Indigenous communities relies on the strength of our partnerships.

We are always looking to collaborate with organizations, local community groups, nonprofits, and businesses who share our commitment to supporting our communities. By partnering with us, you can play a critical role in the distribution of firewood to those who need it most.

In 2025, we are anticipating a challenging fire season for Coconino National Forest. This in mind, we are implementing a contingency plan for possible USFS Fire Restrictions that will require us to shut down WFL Firewood Distribution operations.

This is where we need your help! We are seeking Partners to assist us with firewood distribution and accessibility in preparation for possible USFS Fire Restrictions.

Through this strengthening of networking, you can help us play a critical role in the distribution of firewood within tribal communities to those who may not be able to access our resources due to WFL project site shut-down, lack of transportation, finances, and limited physical abilities.

How you can get involved:

Transportation and Delivery

Are you an organization, non profit or community group with a vehicle with hauling capacity, trailers, & transport crews? We can support your distribution efforts by providing processed firewood. Your support in delivering firewood directly to households or distribution centers will be invaluable and assist us in our mission to expand our reach.

Project Site Restoration & Fire Mitigation

Your help would also assist us with distribution of excess firewood from our Project Site to prepare us for possible US Forest Service Closures due to Fire Restrictions. This will reduce fire fuel loads and mitigate fire hazards for the surrounding communities as well as help us quickly move material before full closures come in effect.

Community Outreach

Partner with us to identify those in need and assist by distributing request form information. Through this connection we will be able to make our resources more accessible to underserved households who may lack internet access or computer systems for applications and scheduling.

This WFL Partnership program is continuously evolving and each year we are incorporating new ways to build this program. Please reach out to Mariah, WFL Communication Coordinator at woodforlifealcc@gmail.com for questions or interest.

Every season our crews, consisting of local youth and young adults, who work diligently to harvest, process, and deliver firewood from forest thinning projects within the Coconino National Forest.

Quality & Safety Precautions:

We strive to ensure that the firewood we distribute is dry and safe to burn. We prioritize the health and safety of our community members, and burning dry firewood is a crucial part of that commitment. Dry firewood burns more efficiently, produces less smoke, and reduces the risk of dangerous creosote buildup in chimneys, which can lead to house fires.

If we distribute 'green' (wet) firewood we will notify you prior to pick up and will advise you to allow firewood to dry before burning in home heating stoves.

How We Plan for Firewood Distribution:

• Ponderosa Pine is felled, processed, and staff determine scale of pending distribution.
• Online Forms are Advertised and Open
• First Come First Serve Time Slot System
• Callbacks and Scheduling are initiated
• We schedule anywhere from 80-120 trucks per distribution period.
• Friday-Sunday are dedicated Distribution Days for Spring 2025

Pick-Up Criteria:

• Selections will be made upon "First Come, First Serve" Basis.
• NO TRAILERS will be loaded during this distribution event, only truck beds .
• Please bring additional individuals to help load.
• Arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled time.
• Pick up location is near Flagstaff, AZ.

How to Prepare:

Please make sure you arrive in a reliable vehicle prepared to carry a load of firewood.

Ensure that your tires have air, you have a spare available, sufficient amount of fuel, and tie downs/straps for your load.

* We do not strap down your load or provide straps due to liability concerns.

Expectations:

There will be 10-15 vehicles lined up for each assigned pick up slot.

You will be directed by ALCC Crew to which pike you will be collecting firewood from.

The US Forest Service will be controlling traffic.

Site Traffic Safety:

• Traffic Speed in pick-up/loading location is 5- 10 MPH.
• Service Road speed of 15-20 MPH.

Please expect to be at the firewood distribution event for an estimated time of 30-40 mins.

Once you have received your firewood load and have secured your load please leave the premises as soon as you can to ensure efficient traffic flow.

Reminder!!

You will have to agree to the 'Acceptable Behavior and Safety Awareness' & acknowledge the ALCC Wood Hauling Terms & Conditions before getting scheduled for pick-up.

* Failure to uphold this agreement will blacklist you from future distribution events and you will be asked to leave immediately from premises.

Firwood provided from the WFL Free Firewood Distribution Program CANNOT BE SOLD.

The Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) “Wood for Life” project was established in response to a critical need for firewood in local Indigenous communities following the shutdown of the Peabody Mine and the subsequent halt in coal production within the region. Coal was initially the primary fuel source for these communities during the time. Recognizing this urgent need, our current partners, including the U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation, collaborated to address the issue.

The Coconino National Forest, which surrounds Flagstaff, AZ, has an overabundance of forestry biomass, creating a significant fire threat to the surrounding area. With this insight we found a solution: utilize the excess firewood from the forest to meet the pressing heating needs of surrounding communities.

This realization formed the foundation of the Wood for Life partnership and marked the beginning of ALCC’s involvement.

Since the partnership's inception in 2019, ALCC has expanded from its initial support role in the Hopi office—where we focused on small-scale wood processing—to becoming a key partner in logistics coordination, fundraising, and project development. Today, our teams, which include members from both ALCC and the Arizona Conservation Corps, are essential in delivering this vital forestry resource to local tribal communities in need.

Wood for Life (WFL) is a collaborative network of organizations in northern Arizona working to achieve common goals. The primary goals are to provide resources and a sustainable source of firewood to local tribal and vulnerable communities through forest restoration efforts; to reduce forest-wide fuels; and to foster and strengthen partner relationships.