BLM, non-profit groups partner on providing firewood to families

Hilltop Community Church, Bridge Ministries and the Bureau of Land Management’s Carson City District are partnering to provide firewood or gift cards to reduce heating bills to families in need.Starting this Saturday and running through October, volunteers from Hilltop and Bridge Ministries will collect firewood from the site of the 2011 Airport fire near Markleeville, Calif., which burned 81 acres of BLM and Alpine County, Calif., land.The wood-cutting will take place on the mornings of Saturday, Oct. 13, and Oct. 27. The firewood will be available beginning early in November. The volunteers’ goal is to collect from 40-50 cords of firewood. The BLM is authorizing the removal of fire-killed trees to meet the goal.Families in need without wood stoves or fireplaces will receive NV Energy gift cards purchased with donations for the firewood. Recipients will be chosen by church staff and remain anonymous.Hilltop is a non-denominational Carson City church. Bridge Ministries is a local non-profit group that raises money to help both the local community and children in Kenya.