With chillier days on the horizon and fall activities in full swing, October is the perfect month to celebrate National Firewood Month. Before you build a bonfire under the stars with friends and family, roast marshmallows over the campfire, or cozy up next to your woodburning stove on a crisp fall day, it is important to know how to safely and responsibly use firewood.
Help stop invasive pests and diseases from hitching a ride to a new area by following these quick tips from the New York State firewood regulation:
• Untreated firewood may not be imported into New York from any other state or country. • Untreated, New York-grown firewood must stay within a 50-mile radius of its source of origin.
• If transporting untreated firewood and your destination is within 50 miles, you must fill out a Self-Issued Certificate of Origin.
• If purchasing and transporting untreated firewood, it must have a receipt or label that identifies the firewood source; hold onto your receipt until all the firewood is burned.
• Heat-treated firewood can be transported anywhere in New York, but it must have a receipt or label that says, “New York Approved Heat-Treated Firewood/Pest-Free”, meaning it has been heated to 71° C (160° F) for 75 minutes.
Help protect New York State’s forests by following these quick tips about fire safety:
• Check the fire danger map to make sure it’s safe to have a fire where you are and avoid burning on windy days.
• Use existing campfire rings when possible.
• Clear away any burnable material in a 10-foot diameter circle around your campfire.
• Campfires must be less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter.
• Be sure your match is out. Hold it until it is cold.
• Never leave a campfire unattended. Always keep water and hand tools nearby to control the fire, if necessary.
• Drown the fire with water, stir the remains, and repeat. Make sure all embers, coals, and sticks are wet. Move rocks as there may be burning embers underneath.
