Manitoba authorities strictly regulate the movement of firewood into and out of the province to prevent the spread of harmful tree pests including those listed below.
To prevent the further spread of emerald ash borer, it is:
- illegal to take any firewood out of Winnipeg.
- illegal to bring firewood into Manitoba from Ontario or Quebec.
Due to the occurrences of Dutch elm disease in Manitoba:
- It is illegal to take any firewood with bark attached out of the providence.
Other pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle and mountain pine beetle also pose a great threat to the province. As a result, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) prohibits the transport of firewood out of a regulated area without a permit. The CFIA and the Manitoban authorities collectively have the following recommendations to prevent the spread of damaging forest pests and protect the health of the forest.
- Buy certified, heat-treated or locally-cut firewood (from within 80km)
- Do not bring outside firewood (including from your home) into a national park ( e.g., Riding Mountain National Park ) or any provincial park in Manitoba.
- Do not remove firewood out of any campground
- Tell others about the dangers of moving firewood long distances
Provincial parks in Manitoba often have firewood available for campers. Many campgrounds and municipalities in Manitoba have additional restrictions on the use or movement of firewood, so be sure to learn the rules at your destination before bringing firewood; to be safe, buy local, burn local.
Bringing firewood from Canada into the USA is prohibited unless the firewood is labeled and certified heat-treated. Read about these requirements on the USDA and CBP firewood information sheet.
Bringing firewood from the USA into Canada is prohibited unless the firewood is labeled and certified heat-treated. Canada also encourages visitors to use local firewood.
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 2 November 2023.
Manitoba Web Resources:
- Firewood Alert and Regulatory Info., Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development
- Manitoba Provincial Parks Reservation Service (See Firewood Availability)
- How to Camp Like a Champ, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Manitoba Chapter
- Stop the Spread of Emerald Ash Borer in Manitoba
- City of Winnipeg Emerald Ash Borer Regulated Area
- EAB in Winnipeg Additional Information
- Dutch Elm Disease in Manitoba, FAQs
General Canada Web Resources
- Don’t Move Firewood Page, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Asian Longhorned Beetle, CFIA
- Brown Spruce Lonhorned Beetle, CFIA
- Emerald Ash Borer Regulated Areas in Canada
- Spongy Moth in Canada
For more information, visit our General Canada Information page.
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