By Nolan Ostrowski, News Editor
Firewood – Photo by WILX
Michigan has officially banned the entry of firewood that hasn’t been heat treated and certified into the state. The firewood quarantine will begin on Jan. 1, 2027 and is being enacted under the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). One of the functions of the MDARD, according to the State of Michigan’s official website (michigan.gov), is to help “safeguard Michigan agriculture and natural resources against the introduction, establishment, and spread of harmful pests through plant pest quarantines,” which helps explain the motivation behind the ban.
The “Firewood Exterior Quarantine” document, released by the Pesticide and Plant Pest Management division of MDARD, outlines in its justification section: “Over 140 plant pests and diseases can be moved with firewood, including Asian longhorned beetle, oak wilt, beech bark disease and spotted lanternfly, many of which are not known to exist in Michigan or are of limited distribution in the state. The transportation of firewood infested with invasive pests is the leading anthropogenic cause of new infestations of forest pests.”
The document further explains that firewood which enters the state from any regulated location must either be heat-treated in a certified kiln under specific conditions or otherwise experience other treatments or methods approved by the Director of MDARD or his authorized representative. The current director of MDARD is Dr. Timothy Boring.
While the ban is effective next year, MDARD will primarily be concerned with education. Warning letters and fines will not go into effect until 2028.
Dr. Tim Boring – Photo by NASDA
