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Untreated Out of State Firewood is Banned
Help us Protect Maine's Forests. Leave your firewood at home--use local Maine firewood!
Tree-killing pests and diseases move in and on firewood.
Emergency Order Restricting Transportation of Firewood Into the State of Maine
On August 31, 2010 the Director of the Division of Forestry, pursuant to the authority granted by 12 M.R.S. § 8305 (as amended by PL 2010, Ch. 585), issued the initial Emergency Order regulating import of firewood. That initial Order, which was slated to expire after 120 days, has been subsequently reissued. Where the final regulations have not yet been put in place, in order to protect Maine’s forest resources and wildlife from the introduction and spread of these destructive insect pests, the Director of the Division of Forestry must take immediate action and hereby reissues and amends the Emergency Order pursuant to the authority granted by 12 M.R.S. § 8305 (as amended by PL 2010, Ch. 585).
What is Your Wood Hiding?
Exotic insects and diseases that pose a serious threat to our forests can move on firewood. Insects and diseases can be in, on or under the bark of firewood or even within the wood itself. You often cannot see that pests are there. While an invasive pest may spread a few miles on its own in a single year, moving infested wood can spread the same pest hundreds of miles in a single day! Untreated firewood from outside of Maine has been banned.
What Can You Do?
- Do not bring firewood from outside the state of Maine.
- Buy Maine firewood! Find local source near where you camp.
- Research shows it is best to keep firewood within 10 miles of where it was harvested.
- If you’ve already transported firewood, don’t leave it or bring it home – burn it! If you can't burn it all within 24 hours, bring it to the nearest drop-off site listed below.
- You can report your concerns regarding firewood to the Maine Forest Service by phone at 1-800-750-9777 or online.
