Cutting wood near to home probably sounds like a good idea: it saves on gas and time, and maybe you can already see a good piece of standing deadwood from your back porch.

But as two Whitehorse residents learned last week, if you don't get a permit, it can end up costing more than just ordering a cord from a local woodcutter.

Chris Cornell and Richard Gage have been fined $500 each for illegally cutting wood within city limits.

Neither showed up at their trials Tuesday morning, so city lawyer Lori Lavoie presented her cases and, without any evidence to refute the city's charges, justice of the peace Dean Cameron found both men guilty.

They were both given four months to pay the fines.

The illegal cutting was reported by one of the Yukon government employees tasked with giving out woodcutting permits, according to bylaw manager Dave Pruden. City bylaw officers followed up on the tip, seized about two cords of wood and issued both men tickets.

"Tree cutting on public property within city limits is not permitted in any situation without a permit,” Doug Hnatiuk of the parks and recreation department explained today, adding that trees on personal property belong to the land owner.

"For personal fuel wood, contact the territorial forest management branch for a permit,” Hnatiuk said. A permit for personal use is free, and allows you to take up to 11 cords.

"But there isn't a lot of personal fuel wood cutting within the city because we don't have a huge inventory,” Hnatiuk said.

The forestry management branch will provide anyone interested in getting their own wood with information on where they can cut, he said.

And, as Pruden added: "It's part of the natural ecosystem, so even taking out trees that are fallen or standing dead, that's still having an impact on the natural environment.”

Hnatiuk said City of Whitehorse staff will remove any trees which are in danger of falling onto residents' property or possessions, but the affected property owners can't just go and cut it down on their own.

"And if you want to cut a tree down because it's obstructing your view, that isn't allowed.”

Then there is the territory's Firesmart program, which is probably the easiest way to get free wood in the city.

The territory regularly clears deadwood and brush to reduce the chance of fires spreading from the forested areas of town into the residential neighbourhoods.

The wood is generally left by the side of the road, or left in a pile where it was cut for anyone to take.

So if there is a pile of nice-looking wood in the greenbelt behind your house, go for it, but if that nice-looking wood is still in the shape of a tree, get a permit first.