Buy Local Firewood to Avoid Spread of Disease and Pests

As the temps continue to drop into winter, many people will be looking to their fireplaces for warmth which can mean firewood.

Helmuth Rogg of the Oregon Department of Agriculture said it’s important to be vigilant about knowing where your firewood comes from to avoid unwanted spread of diseases or pests.

“Buy local firewood. If there is no local firewood available, I would definitely check the label where the firewood is from. Then make sure this firewood is absolutely clean and is heat treated according to our regulations.”

There are plenty of examples of states that bring in Asian Longhorn Beetle, or Emerald Ash Borer because of imported firewood.

Rogg said it’s important to check the label, but at least for Oregon, there is some flexibility.

“We allow firewood produced in the Pacific Northwest– that is Washington, Idaho, and Oregon– to be sold without any precautions because this is firewood from here. The risk is minimal because the bug is already here.”

The best rule, according to the ODA, is buy it where you plan to burn it.