Firewood - Burn It Where You Buy It

Let’s say you’re camping in Waterton, having a fire pit in Red Deer, or having a BBQ in Drumheller, and you don’t burn all the wood you bought. There’s no harm in bringing it back to Calgary…right?

Untrue. When you transport untreated firewood between locations you can give tree diseases and insects a free ride. These pests can damage and kill our trees, negatively impacting Calgary’s urban forest. That’s why it’s important to keep firewood local and burn it where you buy it.

Did you know?

• Researchers have found that approximately 20% of retail firewood had live wood borers and approximately 40% had evidence of previous insect infestation.
• There are often no signs of pest infestations in firewood, and insects living in firewood can take up to 18 months to emerge, allowing invasive species to be transported far from where the firewood originated. This creates a long-lasting risk of spreading pests to new areas.

“Local” is the closest source of wood you can conveniently find. Move it no more than 80 kms from where you purchased it and never bring it back home.

Thanks to vigilance and your hard work,  Dutch Elm Disease — one of those pests that firewood transport can spread — hasn't established in Alberta. We also need your help preventing the spread of other tree pests like emerald ash borer, a non-native beetle that infests and kills ash trees.

Help keep YYC’s trees healthy and pest-free. Prevention is our best defense against invasive pests and is far less costly than managing a pest once it establishes. 

It's easy to remember, don't move firewood: Burn It Where You Buy It!

For information on fire pit safety in Calgary, visit calgary.ca/firepits.