The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued quarantines to protect against harmful pests like the spongy moth and imported fire ant. As a result, it is illegal to bring firewood into or out of Virginia from quarantined areas without the proper heat-treatment documentation and/or permits.
Virginia State Parks recommend the following:
- Leave your firewood at home
- Buy firewood at or near the campground
- Burn all wood before leaving
Several National Parks in Virginia (e.g., Blue Ridge, Cumberland Gap, and Shenandoah) do not allow visitors to bring outside firewood unless it is bundled and certified heat-treated; firewood is often available for purchase by campground vendors. To protect Virginia’s trees, find out the policies in your area and destination before bringing firewood. When in doubt, buy it where you burn it.
If you are a firewood producer and are moving firewood outside of Virginia, your kiln may need to be calibrated to meet other state import requirements. Please contact the Office of Plant Industry Services in VDACS to inquire if you need a compliance agreement and kiln calibration. Contact the Office of Plant Industry Services via complianceagreements@vdacs.virginia.gov or call 804-786-3515.
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of January 2026.
Need to find local firewood? Visit Firewood Scout
Virginia Web Resources:
- Firewood Quarantines, Virginia State Parks
- Quarantines in Virginia, VA Department of Forestry
- Plant Industry Services, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- US Forest Service Southern Region Firewood Information
- Shenandoah National Park Firewood Rule
- Cumberland Gap National Historic Park Firewood Alert
Pest Specific Information
- Forest Insects and Diseases in Virginia, Department of Forestry
- Spongy Moth Federal Quarantine Map, USDA APHIS
- Imported Fire Ant Information and Map Archives
- Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine in Virginia, VDACS
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