Brutus the dog holds his own piece of free driftwood on Noyo Beach in Fort Bragg, Calif., while other driftwood is piled behind, from gigantic burls to entire skinny trees. The City of Fort Bragg has opened up the beach to driftwood removal, as long as people follow the other rules of the beach. Driftwood can present hazards when burned indoors and also to saws when wet or full of sand. (Frank Hartzell via Bay City News)

FORT BRAGG, 5/27/23 — People can now take all the driftwood they can carry from Noyo Beach. Driftwood can become a hazard during fireworks shows, such as the one that follows the World’s Largest Salmon Barbeque, scheduled for July 1. In years past, wood has been removed by City Public Works crews, controlled burns by Parlin Forks or the Volunteer Fire Department, and by people who obtained permits to remove wood debris from the beach.

This year the city is dispensing with permits and saying “Come and take it!” Noyo Beach is located west of the Noyo Bridge. It is accessed by taking North Harbor Drive at the north end of the bridge and driving all the way to the end of the road.

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Frank Hartzell is a freelancer reporter and an occasional correspondent for The Mendocino Voice. He has published more than 10,000 news articles since his first job in Houston in 1986. He is the recipient...