Firewood.. what do you do?

[ericsmith32]

I understand the rules for not carrying firewood from location to location. So to avoid most arguments we typically don't have a fire.. although my wife wants one each time we camp. Not sure how it would apply to us though. If I have any it would be from mid MO from my dad's farm and the furthest we would take it would be anywhere from Branson to Wichita and up to Topeka- Kansas City area, we live in Kansas City. Due to space limitations wouldn't want to drag any wood further than that!

Looked at Lowe's and they have bundles fairly cheap.. don't see much around here. One campground did sell some that's all we've seen. Maybe I'm worrying too much?

[Islandman]

Jarlaxle - I've never heard of pressure treating cedar decking, or any other cedar lumber; it has a natural resistance to decay and therefore doesn't need it. I have a large cedar deck out back and the only treated lumber involved is the pressure-treated fir posts and joists holding it up off the ground.

[Retired_JSO]

The state is clearing a new right of way here and all the pulp is taken to the local paper mills, some across state lines. Now a real kicker, the roots, hardwood, limbs that sit for months after the pulp wood is harvested, is eventually chipped up and transported to a power plant in Gainesville, FL with the rest including the small pines are taken to Waycross, GA to be made into power and heating pellets sent to europe. None of this wood is treated in the field. I know a driver that has been transporting to Waycross, he said DOT is only concerned with weight and length and the company bill of laden.

We have a campfire in a can to use where campfire rings are not allowed. Every other spot we camp that allows a campfire, we will have our own wood. I do believe bugs haven't been stopped at any state or county line to check their papers to see if they are disease free. Asked a few love bugs the other day, just continued to copulate.

[Jarlaxle]

I load a Sterilite tote with scrap lumber...usually cut-up pallets. Most I take camping are pine (usually, Heineken beer pallets, meaning they have already cleared Customs), none have bark. (Directly from a USFS expert, the emerald ash borer is uninterested in evergreens.)

[Jarlaxle]

ktmrfs wrote:
I'm always amazed that in our area state parks say buy wood on site, don't bring any. Then I saw a tractor trailer bring in wood to the campground. It was harvested 300 miles east of the campground in far eastern oregon and we were at a campground on the oregon coast. But the don't want me bringing wood from 50 miles away from the same forest the CG is in. Go figure.

I started asking at campgrounds WHERE does your wood come from. Seldom is it anywhere nearby, usually from central or southern part of the state, 200-300 miles away.

I have about 3 cords of wood from a locally cut red cedar that has been well dried. Bring it on any camping trips in Oregon. Going out of state I have a few cords of cut up cedar decking from a deck removal project. I bring that.

And then in FS campgrounds, we usually can harvest a decent amount of wood locally.

Wouldn't cedar decking be pressure-treated?

[ReVoker]

Desert Captain wrote:

Lighten up Francis....

Nice reference to "Stripes"...

[down_home]

I use to cut wood and take it with us, when we had the fifth wheel.
We buy it now. The stuff they sell seems to go up like paper. Mostly softwoods, I guess.
I've been wondering about one of those fire pits at Lowes etc. Really not pits they are above ground, and some look like brick etc. They run off propane or natural gas.
Not quite the ambience( I know I can't sspell) we want but if we throw a chunk, of oak, into the mix now and then it for smell it might work. Have to figure out how to hoist it out of a compartment and into place. Then hire some kids to roast hot dogs, for us and bring drinks to complete the picture. 🙂

[Francesca_Knowl]

dewey02 wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Hope "Rockhill Manor's" first name is Francis, because that's who posted the words you quoted! :@

You are misinterpreting his attempt at humor here.
"Lighten up, Francis" is a memorable quote from Sgt. Hulka in the movie Stripes. And it is commonly used to indicate that someone (not necessarily named Francis) is taking something too seriously. The Statement does not refer to you just because your name is similar.
So "lighten up, Francis"
Link to movie clip

:S
O-o-o-o-h...thanks!

[shooted]

Our local national forest office encouraged harvesting "dead and down" firewood locally. The chainsaw makes short work of clean burning cedar where we camp.

[dewey02]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
"Boy, for the naysayers that these bugs and disease do not exist and for those that just don't give a******and transport wood 'just' to exercise your right to a campfire........"


Lighten up Francis....

...........snip................


:R

Hope "Rockhill Manor's" first name is Francis, because that's who posted the words you quoted! :@

You are misinterpreting his attempt at humor here.
"Lighten up, Francis" is a memorable quote from Sgt. Hulka in the movie Stripes. And it is commonly used to indicate that someone (not necessarily named Francis) is taking something too seriously. The Statement does not refer to you just because your name is similar.
So "lighten up, Francis"
Link to movie clip

[Francesca_Knowl]

Desert Captain wrote:
"Boy, for the naysayers that these bugs and disease do not exist and for those that just don't give a******and transport wood 'just' to exercise your right to a campfire........"


Lighten up Francis....

...........snip................


:R

Hope "Rockhill Manor's" first name is Francis, because that's who posted the words you quoted! :@

[Desert_Captain]

"Boy, for the naysayers that these bugs and disease do not exist and for those that just don't give a******and transport wood 'just' to exercise your right to a campfire........"


Lighten up Francis....

Not sure what Forum you have been reading but what you accuse does't seem to be happening here. Yes, the EAB and other pests are a problem. No, they are not spreading only due to thoughtless RV'ers. And no, this is not an issue in most of the country. A little common sense on both sides and a lot less hysteria would benefit us all.

As always... Opinions and YMMV.

:R

[ericsmith32]

Francesca Knowles wrote:
Per that USDA sticker thing- as indicated below, USDA only inspects wood from officially quarantined areas. There is no inspection even available for wood from non-quarantined areas- thus no sticker. Many States, however, do have place-of-origin labeling requirements like Iowa's below. BTW: Eab only affects hardwoods, mostly ash of course.

Got 3 packages from Lowes that had the stamp. $16ish for the three and only used 2. Tractor supply is cheaper but of course a new store so didn't come up in a search. Also got 2 bundles of compressed hardword at tractor supply for 2.99 each. Could of just roamed the woods I guess. Used to MO state parks as mentioned earlier they don't allow it.. KS does. Have enough for the next trip.

[rockhillmanor]

Boy, for the naysayers that these bugs and disease do not exist and for those that just don't give a******and transport wood 'just' to exercise your right to a campfire........

Apparently none of you live in the area's where there has been total devastation of elm trees and other species of trees that are killed off by bug infestations and disease and then transported (by those who don't care and can't follow regulations) to other areas and kill yet even more trees. I've seen total acres of woods destroyed by insects and disease.:(

And btw contractors that dump their truck loads of trees and branches for free? They do so because it costs them to dump their waste how they are 'required' to by law in designated state mandated areas.

They are NOT dumping their loads for free do be your camping camp fire wood friend. They do it to skirt around the fees to dump their load where they SHOULD be dumping them. And they DO NOT check for insects nor do they even know how to.

The 'all about me' generation needs to wake up and start thinking about the environment they continue to destroy.

[camperforlife]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

camperforlife wrote:


.....snip...I'm not sure what you mean ......snip......

I mean just what I said: that the USDA stamp isn't required nor would it appear on firewood from any but Federally quarantined areas.

Moving on now, if let to...

If you lived in a area devastated by the EAB like we do and lost as many trees as we have, you would want to educate people who don't get it. We will not let it go when someone from an area not affected gives misinformation. The quarantine and the appropriate stamp is for firewood moving IN and OUT of a quarantined area. You cannot bring ANY outside firewood into a quarantined area nor remove it without the appropriate USDA precautions or you are violating federal law. I have spend many hours donating my time to the DNR educational programs as a certified naturalist teaching this subject. I do not move on and ignore, I will do my best to educate. I do not mean to offend you and I am sure your intentions are good, but if you want to take a stand please get all the information correct.