The state of Utah requires out-of-state firewood be certified, heat-treated and properly labeled if it will be sold in the state. Utah also bans the entry of ash firewood. This is to protect Utah’s natural resources from invasive pests like the emerald ash borer, Asian longhorn beetle, and the red imported fire ant. Additionally, Utah has laws in place to prevent pests like the spongy moth, European corn borer, Japanese beetle, and pine shoot beetle from entering the state, which means it is against the law to bring firewood into Utah from most out-of-state sources. Also, moving firewood from Utah into most midwestern and eastern states is against their state laws since this can spread forest pests like thousand cankers disease of walnut.
To prevent the spread of harmful tree pests, Utah’s Department of Agriculture and Food asks that firewood be used locally with their message: buy it where you burn it. They make the following general recommendations:
- It is not a good idea to move firewood far from where it is collected
- Firewood should never be moved more than 50 miles from its source; less than 10 miles is ideal
- Personally collected firewood should not be transported across state lines
- Wood harvested in Utah is best; out-of-state firewood must comply with heat-treatment and labelling requirements
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 15 June 2021.
Utah General Web Resources:
- Utah Firewood Quarantine
- Utah Administrative Rules Related to Firewood (new!)
- Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine
- Utah Division of Forestry- Insects and Diseases
- Utah Department of Agriculture- Insect and Pest Program
- Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Reminds Utahns About the Firewood Quarantine
- Hungry Pests, Utah page
Utah Pest Specific Resources
- Utah State University, Featured Pests
- Utah State University – Tree and Shrub Pests
- Thousand Cankers Disease information and map archives
- Imported Fire Ant National Quarantine Map
- Velvet longhorned beetle pest profile
- Efforts to contain the Japanese beetle could save the state millions of dollars
- Report an Invasive Pest in Utah
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