Bringing firewood into Utah is against the law – Cache Valley Daily

Utah grocery stores stores carry firewood for sale harvested in the beehive state.

TAYLORSVILLE – Memorial Day weekend sometimes is the official day of camping and exploring the great outdoors in the Beehive State. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) would like to remind recreationalists it is illegal to transport firewood from other states into Utah.

The UDAF issued a statement to bring awareness to outdoor enthusiasts concerning Utah’s Firewood Quarantine.

Kristopher Watson, State Entomologist, said as camping season is upon us, UDAF is urging the public to be aware of the current quarantine of the movement of firewood into Utah from other states.

“Firewood brought in from out of state is one of the main pathways of invasive pests that we are working hard to keep out of the state, including Emerald Ash Bore, Spongy Moth and the Asian Longhorn Beatle,” he said. “These pests destroy trees and landscapes in the areas they inhabit. Please help us keep our natural habitats healthy and free from pests by buying it where you burn it.”

Some helpful tips for preventing the spread of these invasive species are:

• Buying firewood near where you burn is a good rule of thumb. Only use firewood cut 10 miles from where it is burned or at least 50 miles.
• Check for labels with state of origin on it before purchasing firewood.
• Some states list the firewood vendor on the label making it easy to ensure it is local. Checking the vendor website is also a best practice.

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  Wood that looks clean and healthy can still have tiny insect eggs or microscopic fungal spores. That kind of wood could start a new potentially deadly infestation.

• Aged or seasoned wood is still not safe. Just because it is dry doesn’t mean bugs can’t crawl on to it.
• Tell others not to bring in firewood from outside of the state.

UDAF is working closely with the Utah Department of Natural Resources and other state and national park management agencies to help monitor for invasive pests and educate the public about the firewood quarantine.

For more information on the quarantine and other resources visit dontmovefirewood.org.