Residents from Bendigo, Harcourt, Dunolly, Maryborough and Tarnagulla have racked up almost $5000 worth of penalties for removing firewood outside designated collection areas, as well as two fines for driving off-road.

Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) senior forest and fire operations officer Tim Wishart said authorised officers handed out the fines after an investigation into community reports of illegal firewood collection in Dunolly, Tarnagulla and Maryborough State Forests.

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"Illegal firewood collection is a serious offence and will not be tolerated," he said.

"Anyone found cutting or taking firewood from state forests outside designated firewood collection areas or firewood collection periods will be fined and potentially prosecuted."

Officers fined a 25-year-old Bendigo man $740, a 21-year-old Harcourt man $740, a 34-year-old Dunnolly man $727, a 52-year old Dunolly woman $727 and $282, a 72-year-old Tarnagulla man $727 and $282, and a 36-year-old Maryborough man $727.

Conservation Regulator and FFMVic authorised officers are allowed to enforce environmental laws and conduct frequent patrols in forests and parks, targeting the illegal collection of firewood from public land.

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The community can also report the illegal cutting or removal of firewood anonymously by calling the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) at 136 186 or their local DELWP or Parks Victoria depot.

"It's great to see most people are doing the right thing, however people should know officers regularly patrol parks, forests and reserves to catch those who aren't," Mr Wishart said.

"We would like to thank community members who contacted DELWP to report this suspicious behaviour."

The 2022 spring domestic firewood collection season runs from September 1 until November 30.

Information about firewood collection rules be found at vic.gov.au/collecting-firewood

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