Firewood — Why Do So Many Not Care?

[Larry0071]

I want to see you create real camp fire heat and comfort with one of those yuppie contraptions.... that's going to take some serious gas! And it would never heat out like 30 lbs of glowing coals in a red hot ring!

Or with $6-$8 per 6 slabs camp store wood. You'll be broke in no time.

We are all as God intended, we are all different. My way is my way, your way is yours.

[delgal]

Not only is emerald ash bore a problem spotted lantern fly is a real issue. Delaware has a quarantine due to this species.

[Iwannacamp]

Go to your home center/lumber yard and buy culls. Cut them up and use that.

[Feel Swift]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

Go to your home center/lumber yard and buy culls. Cut them up and use that.

Or find a place like this. Split and dry for $0.03 per lb. Despite feely good quarantines these places are still in business and have been for years. They deliver also. $35.00 for the first 10 miles and $0.50 per mile thereafter.

[dsiegler]

I do care, but I also know that there is no stopping the emerald ash borer (and by the way the red headed ash borer which has killed trees that was blamed on the emerald) and probably not any of the other invasives once they are here. I would like to know why the state and federal governments and the private park owners don't care, because if they did they would make firewood available at less than usurers prices. There are 96 square feet of 16" wood in a cord. At $5 a bundle that would be $480/cord. So I bring my own wood.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I see it every time I go camping — people bringing truckloads of firewood with them from all over the country. I am sure that most of these people know they shouldn’t be doing this, but they just don’t seem to care that they are endangering the forests/ecosystems everywhere they go.

It's not just firewood. People ignore laws freely when there's no penalty meted out. How many people do you think are cited and fined for bringing "foreign" firewood into parks and campgrounds?

About the only time any law like this is enforced is at the international border or when crossing into states that have agricultural product inspection stations near their borders.

It's a fairly widespread attitude among somemembers of society that they'll ignore laws they don't agree with until they get caught and seriously fined.

[Grapehound]

Feel Swift, that is one ugly fly!


So first let me say, I love campfires. Sitting around a campfire ignites something in our human heritage from thousands of years ago in our deep subconscious when the fire meant the hearth, safety and security, and Home.


That said, fires produce a great deal of pollutants which denigrate our air quality. Just hang around a forest fire for ten minutes and you know the devastating consequences of fire on air quality. Wood stoves and wood boilers now are required to have secondary systems to eliminate atmospheric contaminants.


So worrying about transporting bugs in firewood as you start a big smoky campfire is sort of missing the point. Campfires really aren't very environmentally responsible at all. We probably should all be using a propane stove for that reason alone.



That said, transporting firewood over long distances in warm weather can spread many nasty insects like pine beetles, emerald ash borers and other tree insects that can damage indigenous forests. Of course if it's winter and the temperatures are below freezing, then it's more likely that the insects will stay dormant and there should be little issue with bringing your own firewood in the back of a truck where it stays cold.


Finally, I cut all my own wood. I have heated my house with firewood for many years. I have an outdoor wood boiler, a basement steel plate wood stove, and two Rumford fireplaces. I own six acres of forest land on a mountain. I cut each piece of wood to a pre-measured length and stack it under roof for maxium drying. I have two wood moisture gauges! I am a fastidious wood nut.



I never take wood with me on a camping trip just in case I could spread some nasty bug. I would not want to be the guy who brought a new pest to a whole region. That said, I have no illusions about how much pollution a wood fire discharges into the air. That may be the real environmental impact of our campfires.

[rollscanardly]

Is cut up pallet wood allowed at campgrounds? I know someone who who has a receiver hitch basket and fills it with pallet wood to bring to NASCAR races.


Rich

[hankpac]

I don't know why a "campfire" just has to be part of the camping experience, when almost nobody builds a proper one, too many people don't tend them, and leave them smoldering and leaving the smoke to choke out the neighbors with the stench of half-burned plastics, and garbage, not mention leaving them burning while walking Fido, or whatever. Bringing wood from elsewhere is a real threat too, for the stated reasons.
Tradition? Right.
I cook mostly outside the rig, but use gas or charcoals, and put it out afterwards. No to minimal smoke.
When an entire campground is burning a poorly lit, poorly arranged fire, of wet wood, trash and plastics including diapers, it destroys the ambiance. Badly.
That's my own inspiration to never camp in developed campgrounds and why I rarely build a fire.
Just my two cents.

[Villagerjjm]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I see it every time I go camping — people bringing truckloads of firewood with them from all over the country. I am sure that most of these people know they shouldn’t be doing this, but they just don’t seem to care that they are endangering the forests/ecosystems everywhere they go.

There is no need for me to get into all of the different problems caused by transporting non-kiln-dried wood from place-to-place because everybody reading this should (and probably) already know.

Why do people do this?

Bruce

I can easily answer your question, but I would be banned for being too political...

[SniperDroid]

Were in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Over Labor Day we spent 6 days camping at a KOA in Medina, NY. My wife wanted to see the Falls, and I thought it would be a good trip for us in the Camper. Reading the park rules, NO Transported Fire Wood. Never been to a KOA before, but we've been camping for forty years, and I understand the problem, so Rules are Rules. I was the only one in the campground that bought wood from the camp store that weekend. Everywhere I looked I saw stack after stack of brought in firewood. One guy had a pickup bed full!

The emerald ash borer was found here in in Ohio a long time ago. Transporting wood across county lines was not allowed. We stay mostly in state campgrounds and our favorite was in the same county, so no problem. Well, 5 or 6 years after the ban, it was lifted. The EAB was found in all 88 Ohio counties so there was no need any longer. I buy my wood from a local guy, spray it, inspect it, and season it myself. We get to see a lot of beautiful country while camping, and I will do my best not to add to it's destruction. But I really felt like a fool at that KOA in NY.

And that is why most folks wont follow the ban's on transporting wood. Too many others flaunt the law and get away with it. Bless you if you follow the rules, but pray for those of us that are only human.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by rsdata

Comanchecreek



What is the brand? Where did you get it?
thx

I have one similar to below picture. I have had it now for nearly 10 years. It uses a regulator, but I have it modified to take off the regulator via quick-disconnect and hook directly to 15 foot hose to trailer connector.

I got mine at Lowes...love it... https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bond-18-5-i...e-Pit/50037272

[Funengineer]

Thought I’d add this link for those that might be interested.

Propane fire pit information and discussion.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

[Rkloud9]

This thread saddens me, and I am embarrassed that so many in this community care so little for the wonder of the forests that we are privileged to inhabit in our camping experiences. Ignored bans on firewood transport will eventually lead to bans on campfires. Maybe this is the best solution. Although we are only a few thousand (or hundred) years away from the cave dwellers, it’s time to take responsibility so that our children and grandchildren will have places to enjoy the outdoors.

[Herk7769]

Southeastern PA is under quarantine for the Spotted Lantern Fly infestation.

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plant...s/default.aspx

This insect is easily moved if no one is looking. If you are in the quarantine area, please “Look Before You Leave".

Inspecting your vehicles, trailers, or any outdoor items before you move around or out of the quarantine is important. If possible, don’t park in tree lines and keep windows rolled up when you park your vehicle. Know the life stages of the insect and when to look for them.

Using the recommendations developed by Penn State Extension, take control measures on your own property. Any efforts you make in destroying the Spotted Lanternfly or it’s egg masses helps your property and community.
Report sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly.

All reports of SLF outside of the quarantine are taken seriously and will be investigated. Reports within the quarantine are registered in a database for USDA and PDA. The database is used to help determine properties for treatment. Treatment is based on location, risk, and available funds.

The following counties are currently under quarantine:

Berks
Bucks
Carbon
Chester
Dauphin
Delaware
Lancaster
Lebanon
Lehigh
Monroe
Montgomery
Northampton
Philadelphia
Schuylkill

[Nancyc7]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I see it every time I go camping — people bringing truckloads of firewood with them from all over the country. I am sure that most of these people know they shouldn’t be doing this, but they just don’t seem to care that they are endangering the forests/ecosystems everywhere they go.

There is no need for me to get into all of the different problems caused by transporting non-kiln-dried wood from place-to-place because everybody reading this should (and probably) already know.

Why do people do this?

Bruce

Why do people not pick up their dog's poop, and if they do bag it up, why do they leave it next to the base of the trashcan instead of inside the trashcan, why do people throw their dental flossers out anywhere, why do hunters bring hogs to Kansas when they know hogs are destroying Texas?



There are so many whys to too many questions. I hope you find the answer to your question.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by KAS

Another source would be lumber from construction projects, it may not look pretty but it should be safe.

Not if it's treated.

[Feel Swift]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Southeastern PA is under quarantine for the Spotted Lantern Fly infestation.

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plant...s/default.aspx

This insect is easily moved if no one is looking. If you are in the quarantine area, please “Look Before You Leave".

Inspecting your vehicles, trailers, or any outdoor items before you move around or out of the quarantine is important. If possible, don’t park in tree lines and keep windows rolled up when you park your vehicle. Know the life stages of the insect and when to look for them.

Using the recommendations developed by Penn State Extension, take control measures on your own property. Any efforts you make in destroying the Spotted Lanternfly or it’s egg masses helps your property and community.
Report sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly.

All reports of SLF outside of the quarantine are taken seriously and will be investigated. Reports within the quarantine are registered in a database for USDA and PDA. The database is used to help determine properties for treatment. Treatment is based on location, risk, and available funds.

The following counties are currently under quarantine:

Berks
Bucks
Carbon
Chester
Dauphin
Delaware
Lancaster
Lebanon
Lehigh
Monroe
Montgomery
Northampton
Philadelphia
Schuylkill

Perhaps someone can ask the PA Dept of Agriculture how do you inspect a vehicle. Do you look up in the hollow bed sides of a pickup, how about in the heater/AC ducting, behind the wheels, inside the air cleaner, inside all the reinforcing under the hood, inside the doors. Come on, anyone with a few brain cells knows that a small bug could hitch a ride almost anywhere and in a lot of places you can not look. More gubmint gobblygook that will do little if anything at all. It wont be long until the spotted lanternfly is state wide and in many other states same as the EAB. Moving firewood or not will have no effect one way or the other.

For those burning pallets, pallets are how it is suspected that a lot of these pests came into the US to begin with. The EAB in pallets brought to Detroit, and the lanternfly in crates of granite from China brought to eastern PA. Those spent weeks if not months in containers on ships or sitting in ports and quarantine areas. Maybe gubmint should of been doing their job when those came in to begin with?

Propane firepits? Save the planet will you? Better look at what is involved to get at that gas, such as fracking.

Doing a quick look at your car is not going to stop anything, it may make one feel better.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Southeastern PA is under quarantine for the Spotted Lantern Fly infestation.

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plant...s/default.aspx

This insect is easily moved if no one is looking. If you are in the quarantine area, please “Look Before You Leave".

Inspecting your vehicles, trailers, or any outdoor items before you move around or out of the quarantine is important. If possible, don’t park in tree lines and keep windows rolled up when you park your vehicle. Know the life stages of the insect and when to look for them.

Using the recommendations developed by Penn State Extension, take control measures on your own property. Any efforts you make in destroying the Spotted Lanternfly or it’s egg masses helps your property and community.
Report sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly.

All reports of SLF outside of the quarantine are taken seriously and will be investigated. Reports within the quarantine are registered in a database for USDA and PDA. The database is used to help determine properties for treatment. Treatment is based on location, risk, and available funds.

The following counties are currently under quarantine:

Berks
Bucks
Carbon
Chester
Dauphin
Delaware
Lancaster
Lebanon
Lehigh
Monroe
Montgomery
Northampton
Philadelphia
Schuylkill

I have been killing these things in Lancaster County for months now. Over the past several weeks they have been multiplying and it is almost a full-time job chasing them down and killing them. They see you coming, and just as you are about to let them take their last breath, they jump anywhere from a foot to ten feet or fly away. There are signs posted at our campground telling people to kill them if they see them, and I hear so many people complain about the signs and the awful, cruel and inhumane thought of killing these “pretty” bugs.

From what I have seen, these bugs do not crawl up under things like campers and vehicles, rather, they land and crawl on top of whatever they landed on, and if they are disturbed, they are very quick to move, making themselves easy to spot and be killed. They do like to crawl into my pile of firewood, though, but as soon as the wood is moved, they jump or fly out. Then they are murdered.

Bruce

[nomad297]

Reading this thread, I have noticed a common theme: so many people don’t care about th devastation as much as they care about saving a buck. I don’t understand this rationalization.

Bruce