Cool fall weather makes campfires a cozy activity.
Where you get the wood for that fire matters.
The Wisconsin DNR asks that people get their firewood close to home, to prevent the spread of invasive species.
The spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, the fungus that causes oak wilt and many other invasive insects and fungi can travel on firewood.
When untreated firewood is moved, those pests can attack trees in new locations.
Wisconsin’s state parks and other state-managed lands prohibit visitors from bringing in firewood from further than 10 miles from the property.
There is an exception for firewood that has been treatment-certified by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and is safe to move.
All staffed state parks and forests with campgrounds offer local firewood for sale, and firewood is often available for purchase privately nearby.
The Don't Move Firewood website urges people to buy firewood where they plan to burn it. 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.
The same guidelines apply to those who use wood to heat their cabin or home. Closer is better. You don't want to put the trees on your property at risk from hitchhiking insects or fungi.
