Don't Move Firewood: Buy It Where You Burn It

Fall in Teton County calls for crisp hikes that end with a cozy evening around the campfire. But there’s one thing you shouldn’t bring on your trek: firewood.

October is Firewood Month, and the message we want you to remember is simple: Buy It Where You Burn It. Firewood can look perfectly healthy on the outside, but insects, eggs, or larvae can be hidden beneath the bark or inside the wood. And even though you’re burning it, moving it long distances can give forest pests a ride into places they may never reach on their own.

So, how local is local? As a general rule, and 10 miles or less is best.

Don’t Bring Hitchhikers to Your Bonfire

Several invasive pests can spread through firewood and other outdoor materials. Emerald ash borer attacks ash trees, and hasn’t been detected in Wyoming yet, making continued prevention essential. Asian longhorned beetle can develop inside hardwood and spread through untreated firewood, spongy moths can lay egg masses on logs, and spotted lanternflies can attach their egg masses directly to firewood and other hard surfaces.

For all their variety, these pests have something important in common: they can hitch a ride on your firewood and spread somewhere new. Preventing an infestation is far easier than managing an established one, so safe firewood practices are vital to the health of our environment.

Protecting Bridger-Teton and Beyond

Smart firewood choices help protect the Bridger-Teton National Forest and the recreation areas we enjoy throughout the year. Places like Shadow Mountain, Cache Creek, Game Creek, Curtis Canyon, the Gros Ventre Wilderness, and camping areas near Grand Teton National Park are all at the heart of our community, and deserve our vigilance and protection.

The same principle applies across the Greater Yellowstone region. Caribou-Targhee National Forest lies just west of the Teton Range, the Shoshone National Forest extends east and northeast toward Dubois and Cody, and Custer Gallatin National Forest sits farther north. We move easily between these forests for our outdoor adventures, and unfortunately firewood can move just as easily with us and the responsibility lies with all of us to prevent these forest pests from becoming established in new areas.

Smart Firewood Choices

Protecting forest health doesn’t mean giving up the campfire. It just takes a little planning.

Buy firewood as close as possible to where you’ll burn it and choose certified heat-treated firewood when local wood isn’t available. If gathering firewood is permitted at your destination, collect it there rather than bringing wood from home. National Park rules require certified kiln-dried or heat-treated wood to prevent invasive species, as well.

And if you have firewood left over, don’t haul it to your next destination. Burn it where you bought or gathered it.

Don’t Move Firewood, Keep Your Campfires Safe

A campfire should warm your campsite, not help an invasive pest find a new home. By sticking to these guidelines, you can help protect these wild places in Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest that make our region special.

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