The movement of firewood is tightly restricted in Ontario since it has areas under regulation for damaging forest pests including emerald ash borer, European spongy moth, and Dutch elm disease. Since these and other harmful tree pests can spread to new areas when people travel with untreated firewood, it is illegal to move firewood out of a regulated area without a movement certificate from the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA). To prevent the spread of harmful pests both within and between provinces, Canadian authorities outline some firewood rules and recommendations which are summarized on our Canada page.
Ontario Provincial Parks encourages their visitors to purchase firewood at their campground stores, purchase kiln dried firewood where available and buy local. Ontario’s private campground association also urges campers to buy and burn local to protect the great outdoors from invasive forest pests.
Bringing firewood from Canada into the USA is prohibited unless the firewood is labeled and certified heat-treated. Click 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 1 July 2021.
Ontario Specific Web Resources:
- Camping and Firewood, Camping in Ontario
- Bruce Peninsula National Park – Firewood Regulations
- Saugeen Valley Conservation Area -Firewood Regulations
- Ontario Parks – Planning to Bring Your Own Firewood to the Park? (2019)
- Invasive Species in Ontario
- Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program – Asian Longhorned Beetle
- Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program – Pathways
Canada General Web Resources
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Don’t Move Firewood
- Canadian Invasive Species Council – Buy Local Burn Local
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency – Firewood Regulations
- Canada Border Services Agency (regarding personal firewood from USA into Canada)
Pest Specific Information for Canada
- Asian Longhorned Beetle
- Brown Spruce Longhorned Beetle
- Brown Spruce Longhorned Beetle Regulation Information
- Emerald Ash Borer
- Emerald Ash Borer Don’t Move Firewood Factsheet
- European Spongy Moth North America Quarantine Map
- European Spongy Moth Don’t Move Firewood Factsheet
For more information, visit our General Canada Information page.
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