Moving firewood in Wisconsin: certified firewood, spongy moth counties and state land

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It follows two Wisconsin agencies: the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Certified and uncertified firewood

The DATCP page on moving firewood in Wisconsin says it is sometimes legal to move firewood, but always a bad idea to move uncertified firewood. It says DATCP-certified firewood is always legal to move. Certified wood is clearly labeled and sold at retail locations or by dealers.

The DNR says certified firewood has been processed to kill pests and diseases and is legal to move around the state regardless of quarantines. It adds that certified wood may be brought to state parks, forests and other DNR campsites regardless of where it was obtained.

The spongy moth quarantine

DATCP says it is illegal to move uncertified firewood from a county quarantined for spongy moth to a non-quarantine county, even if the destination is property you own. The DATCP spongy moth quarantine page says the quarantine covers 56 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. It lists firewood, whether for sale or consumer use, among the covered items. Regulated items can move from a quarantined area to a non-quarantined area with a certificate signed by a pest control official in the state of origin who has inspected them. The page names ATCP 21.10 as the rule, and says DATCP works with USDA APHIS to enforce it. The quarantine applies to businesses and private citizens.

The DNR describes the same quarantine as prohibiting the movement of firewood east to west from infested to non-quarantined counties. DATCP says that although wood may legally move from counties that are not quarantined, it strongly recommends against moving firewood because of other pests and diseases.

State and federal land

The DNR's firewood rules and resources page describes a permanent rule effective June 1, 2014. It bars visitors from bringing firewood into state parks and other state-managed lands from further than 10 miles from the property. Treated, pest-free wood from state certified vendors is exempt. Each state campground has a map of its 10-mile radius. The DNR says a camper from outside Wisconsin whose uncertified firewood came from more than 10 miles away will have to surrender it before checking in.

State parks, forests, recreation areas and other state-managed lands: uncertified firewood must come from within 10 miles of the property, per DATCP and the DNR.
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: uncertified firewood must come from within 25 miles, per DATCP.
City, town and county campgrounds, tribal properties and private campgrounds may set their own rules, and both agencies say to check with them first.

The DNR says unpainted dimensional lumber without preservatives, such as 2x4 or 4x6 scraps, is allowed on state property at the discretion of park staff.

Dealer certification

On the DATCP firewood dealer certification page, the agency says the programme is voluntary and that uncertified firewood can still be sold in Wisconsin. A dealer who chooses to certify must sell or distribute 20 or more cords a year in Wisconsin and have a business located in the state. There are three routes: heat the firewood to an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F for at least 60 consecutive minutes, store it on the premises for at least 24 months before sale, or use an alternative method approved by DATCP. The page links the treated firewood rule, ATCP 20.21. It also says all packaged firewood sold in Wisconsin must be labeled, certified or not, and certified wood must also carry the DATCP-certified label.

For other states and provinces see the table on moving wood and firewood.