Where do you get firewood on the desert

[homefor2]

Just wondered where most people get firewood when boondocking in Arizona deserts. I imagine its not legal to harvest dead wood if you can find it so what do people use for firewood?

[Jim_Shoe]

I know that the Saguaro Cactus is a protected species (dead or alive) in the Saguaro National Park. If you get caught, it will be the most expensive piece of wood you ever had. And you don't get to keep it. Saguaro grows about a foot every 150 years.
If you're in the area, stop at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Lots to learn, including a collection of animals that live in the desert. Snakes are obvious, but I never knew that wolves and pumas live there as well.
And while you're in the area, stop at Old Tucson studios. The majority of Westerns you've ever seen were probably filmed there. El Dorado and Rio Bravo (both John Wayne flicks) were shot there as well as over 300 other oaters. You'll probably recognize the store fronts on main street.

[SCVJeff]

martipr wrote:
Buffalo Chips;)

You'd have better luck finding legal firewood

[martipr]

Buffalo Chips;)

[n7bsn]

wbwood wrote:
\

Smell of a fire is the best part. ...

While I agree there are folk that have breathing issues with wood-smoke

[wbwood]

traveylin wrote:
Most desert areas prohibit fires due to drought and potential for wildfire. Propane heaters work well and do not smell

Smell of a fire is the best part.

You could always look for a sale on Doritos. Lol

[traveylin]

Most desert areas prohibit fires due to drought and potential for wildfire. Propane heaters work well and do not smell

[mlts22]

Sometimes you might find a local mill or wood shop that has a lot of scrap stuff (preferably without nails in it.)

I try to avoid using wood pallets. Some places are happy to let people take them. Others like Wal-Mart, I was told that it is almost certainly a trip to the local pokey if people attempt to forage for scrap there. Without explicit knowledge, I rather see about buying discarded stuff from local furniture places.

[Me_Again]

California has rules about firewood also. So I can not come down I-5 and over to Arizona with home grown firewood. Chris

[n7bsn]

Some points... You can NOT take "firewood" across the US/Canadian border, in either direction, PERIOD. That is wood with the bark on.
Additionally many states, including Calif forbid you to transport "firewood" (wood with the bark on) into California (and yes I have been asked).

The reason has to do with transport of pests. They don't want you taking say Pine-Bark Beetle from an area where it is found, to an area where it is not.

Most places (all?) that sell the prepackaged "firewood", the wood has been treated (usually heat) to kill the pests. I am not aware of any state/nation that forbids transport of this wood.

Obviously pallets, lumber-cuts offs, etc should be OK also.

[crosscheck]

We have been travelling in the deserts of Mexico and the States for a number of years now during the cooler spring time and we always seem to have wood for fires. Anytime you pass through the high country, thats where the trees and shrubs grow. Just take a little walk in the bush and....

Like filling up with fresh water, I always have a couple of bins that get topped up with wood before hitting stubble country. And even then with a small bow saw, the desert shrubs give up a fair bit of dry wood.

Watch for dry washes that flood during thunderstorms. There is usually a lot of small chunks lying half buried in the gravel by the previous flood just the right size for the fire pit.

Deserts sometimes have seasonal creeks and that is where the small trees/shrubs grow. Get off your buns and check it out. Bring a saw or ax and bin. You just might get lucky.

Dave

[harold1946]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I do like mesquite but haven't tried mosquite.......bet you have to round up a bunch to even get a fire to start. My arms would be very tired whacking that many :B

A buddy had some palo verde trees that he had removed and brought it as firewood........gave us all headaches and left a sour smell in our noses......no thanks!

Good catch;:S Palo verde is two words not one. I must be gettig older.
A chainsaw makes it much easier. If you know where to look it can be found 6" diameter or larger. Acacia and desert willow also good for campfires. In the high desert there is juniper and pinion.

[Old-Biscuit]

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I do like mesquite but haven't tried mosquite.......bet you have to round up a bunch to even get a fire to start. My arms would be very tired whacking that many :B

A buddy had some palo verde trees that he had removed and brought it as firewood........gave us all headaches and left a sour smell in our noses......no thanks!

[homefor2]

tatest wrote:
If you want wood fires, you will have to buy wood from someone who brings it into the desert. Unless you are talking about the wetter deserts where some brush and mesquite grows, but most of the places you will be permitted to set up your RV, vegetation is likely to be protected.

Desert natives will build dung fires.

I wonder what the DW will have to say if I suggest we go dung hunting :E

[harold1946]

amandasgramma wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
It is not illegal to collect firewood as long as it is not private property or state trust land, or otherwise posted.
It must be dead, no cutting of live trees. Mosquite is the best and used by many of us for cooking burgers and steaks.
Be sure not to burn paloverde, you will not like it. The smell is awful.

I have the rules for the Long Term camping in the BLM areas around Quartzsite. It says " Do not collect wood within LTVAs. You may not possess native firewood (i.e., mesquite, ironwood, palo verde) within LTVAs. "............don't want to see someone arrested because we've put the wrong info out. 🙂

I said unless otherwise posted, LTVA is one of those. The OP did not specify where.