Warming up by a campfire can be a great way to spend a fall evening, but the DNR hopes you’ll get your firewood close to where you burn it.
Moving firewood can give a ride to invasive species, spreading them to new areas.
When untreated firewood is transported away from the tree where it was harvested, those pests and fungi can later emerge to attack trees at the new location.
This can happen whether that new location is in the next town or hundreds of miles away.
The Don't Move Firewood website urges people to "buy local, burn local."
That means purchasing firewood for your camping trip on-site instead of bringing it from home or picking it up along the way.
It's also strongly recommended that campers leave any unused firewood behind. It's not worth bringing a pest home to infest your property.
All staffed state parks and forests with campgrounds offer local firewood for sale.
Firewood is often available for purchase privately nearby.
To find local firewood sellers and vendors of certified firewood, visit the Firewood Scout website.
