Maryland Department of Natural Resources enforces a firewood policy that prohibits visitors from bringing firewood into all parks and properties managed by the state. Firewood must instead be purchased from the State Park, State Forest, or Wildlife Management Area or from firewood vendors near the campsite. This policy is in place to protect Maryland’s forests from highly destructive tree pests like emerald ash borer and pine shoot beetle which can spread to new areas when people travel with firewood.
Current pest infestations have led to further restrictions on the movement of firewood both within and out of Maryland. For example, Maryland’s Department of Agriculture prohibits the movement of firewood out of the counties of Cecil, Hartford, Washington, Baltimore, and Baltimore city in order to prevent the further spread of thousand cankers disease of walnut and spotted lanternfly. Anyone wishing to move firewood out of an area infested with spotted lanternfly needs to complete this checklist.
Many non-state campgrounds in Maryland have their own restrictions on firewood. For example, the Maryland Association of Campgrounds does not allow outside firewood at any of their campsites. Similarly, National Parks in Maryland either prohibit all outside firewood (e.g., Catoctin Mountain Park) or require firewood be bought in-state within 50 miles of their campgrounds (e.g., Assateague Island National Seashore).
To protect the forests of Maryland and beyond, avoid traveling with firewood; instead, buy it where you burn it.
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 29 June 2021.
Maryland Web Resources:
General Information
- Maryland Firewood Policy, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Assateague Island National Seashore Firewood restrictions
- Maryland Firewood Dealers
- Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland
Pest Specific Information
- Emerald Ash Borer in Maryland
- Emerald Ash Borer Federal Quarantine and Authorized Transit Map
- Emerald Ash Borer Information, Maryland Invasive Species Council
- Emerald Ash Borer Page, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Spotted Lanternfly Page, Maryland Department of Agriculture
- Asian longhorned beetle, Maryland Department of Agriculture
- Thousand Cankers Disease Detected in Baltimore City and County, MD (press release 5/1/2019)
- Thousand Cankers Disease in Maryland
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