Moving firewood long distances can spread invasive forest pests hidden in or on the wood. Your firewood choices matter, and you can help slow the spread of these tree-killing pests. This October, we’ll be celebrating Firewood Month with our friends at Hungry Pests to help spread the word on this important topic!
Don’t move firewood – instead, make one of these better choices:
- Buy firewood where you’ll burn it.
- Buy certified heat treated firewood.
- Gather firewood on site when permitted.
You have the power to slow the spread of forest pests.
Learn more at these quick links:
- General information on firewood and forest pests
- Map of firewood related regulations and recommendations
- Information for fall campers, anglers, and hunters
- Information for people that heat a home or cabin with wood
- Firewood facts from our partners, Hungry Pests
- Social Media Image Library
USDA Report: ALB in the United States
ALB is in 4 states: Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina. Eradication efforts eliminated infestations in Illinois and New Jersey. If you live in a quarantine area, please keep this tree-killing pest from spreading. Follow state and federal laws, that restrict the movement of woody material and untreated firewood.
SOUTH CAROLINA – First detection: May 2020
Regulated Area: 76.4 sq. miles in Charleston/Dorchester Counties
Infested Trees: 6,480
33 Charleston, 4,591 Hollywood, 1,095 Johns Island, 759 Ravenel
Removals: 6,781
3,998 Infested, 2,783 High-Risk Hosts
Surveys: 148,593
Residents can dispose of regulated yard waste at Bees Ferry Road Convenience Center, 1344 Bees Ferry Road, 29414 or Hollywood Convenience Center, 5305 Highway 165, 29449. For more information, please call 843-973-8329 or click South Carolina.
OHIO – First detection: June 2011
Regulated Area: 49 sq. miles* in Clermont County
Tate and Williamsburg Townships
Infested Trees: 21,597
34 East Fork Recreational Area, 48 Monroe Township, 21,512 Tate Township, 3 Stonelick/Batavia Township
Removals: 114,336
21,356 Infested, 92,980 High-Risk Hosts
Surveys: 4,201,914
* Monroe Township eradicated in September 2018, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by .5 sq. miles. Stonelick and Batavia Townships eradicated in March 2018, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 5 sq. miles.
The wood disposal yard located at 2896 State Route 232 in Bethel is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Wood chips are available for residents from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month. For more information, please call 513-381-7180 or click Ohio.
MASSACHUSETTS – First detection: August 2008
Regulated Area: 110 sq. miles* in Worcester County
Infested Trees: 24,209**
1 Auburn, 6 Boston, 13 Boylston, 233 Holden, 1,097 Shrewsbury, 699 West Boylston, 20,760 Worcester,
Removals: 36,265**
24,209 Infested, 12,056 High-Risk Hosts
Surveys: Inspections continue
* Boston (Suffolk County) declared eradication in 2014, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 10 sq. miles. ** Due to additional host trees removed through acreage cuts within the regulated area, the actual number of infested trees and the actual number of trees removed is unknown.
The wood disposal yard is located at 0 Dr. Paul Ware Drive in Boylston and is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, please call 508-852-8090 or click Massachusetts.
NEW YORK – First detection: August 1996
Regulated Area: 53 sq. miles* in Nassau/Suffolk County
Infested Trees: 7,241
2,889 Amityville, 2,327 Brooklyn, 27 Islip, 110 Manhattan, 1,831 Queens, 57 Staten Island
Removals: 24,097
7,227 Infested, 16,870 High-Risk Hosts
Surveys: Inspections continue
* Brooklyn and Queens eradicated in 2019, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 58 sq. miles. New infestation detected in Amityville area in 2013 resulted in an increase of the regulated area by 28 sq. miles. Manhattan (New York County) and Staten Island (Richmond County) eradicated in 2013, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 26 sq. miles. Islip (Suffolk County) eradicated in 2011, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 7 sq. miles.
For more information, please call 866-265-0301 or click New York.
Research
USDA laboratories conduct research to learn more about the beetle. This information guides the approach used to fight infestations. Field studies, trials, and laboratory research over the years have been vital in developing the protocols used today to fight the beetle.
Current research includes regulatory treatments for wood and nursery stock, chip size and grinding techniques to deregulate host materials, traps to lure adult beetles, and the use of dogs to detect the insect’s presence. USDA is also studying how quickly the insect spreads on its own and its host tree preference and range and conducting DNA analysis and various behavioral experiments.
Latest Maps
Reminders
If you live in a quarantine area, you can help by allowing program officials access to your property to perform tree surveys and remove infested and, in some cases, high-risk host trees. Hire companies that have compliance agreements with the eradication program for working on host trees. And never move wood out of regulated areas, because it can spread the beetle and other tree pests and diseases.
Report ALB
If you think you’ve found ALB or signs of infestation, record the area where the specimen was found, capture the insect and take digital pictures of the insect and/or the tree damage. Then contact the eradication program operating in your state, or call the ALB hotline at 866-702-9938, or report online.