The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has an emerald ash borer quarantine which makes it against the law to move firewood into North Dakota from any of the states where the emerald ash borer is present. Many states in the Great Plains region near North Dakota have areas under quarantine to prevent the further spread of pests such as emerald ash borer, spongy moth, and Asian longhorned beetle; this means it is illegal to take uncertified firewood out of those quarantined zones and bring it into North Dakota.
At campgrounds in North Dakota (ND), firewood must originate within 100 miles of the campground, unless it has been officially certified as pest-free. The ND Forest Service prohibits out-of-state firewood at their campgrounds since they will provide a free bundle of firewood for each paid campsite.
The ND Department of Agriculture, ND Forest Service, and NDSU Extension ND Parks and Recreation have some recommendations for firewood users:
- Don’t bring firewood into North Dakota from out-of-state
- Firewood should be bought and used locally to prevent the spread of pests entering the ND as well as within the state
- Ideally, firewood should be transported less than 50 miles from its origin.
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.
Need to find local firewood in ND? Visit Firewood Scout
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 12 October 2023.
North Dakota Web Resources:
- Firewood Page, ND Department of Agriculture (NDDA)
- Firewood Finder, NDDA
- ND Invasives – What’s wrong with my tree? , North Dakota State University
- Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine in North Dakota
- Spongy Moth Information , USDA APHIS
- Spongy Moth Federal Quarantine Area (Map)
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