The Dear Don’t Move Firewood advice column is back, with real questions from real people (often slightly edited to ensure they are anonymous).
Dear Don’t Move Firewood,
I’m going camping in another state which is Maine. I’m from Ohio. Can I take wood for camp fires from my own wood pile?
Yours, Bruce from Ohio
Dear Bruce,
It is illegal to take any out of state firewood into Maine, as per Maine state law. It is also violation of the emerald ash borer (EAB) federal quarantine to take it from Ohio (inside the EAB quarantine area) into Maine (which is outside the EAB quarantine area). Last but not least, in general, the rule of thumb is not to move firewood more than 50 miles- and it is a lot more than 50 miles from Ohio to Maine.
Instead of bringing firewood from your own wood pile in Ohio, please plan to buy wood after your arrival in Maine, ideally near your camping destination. Thank you!
For more information on Maine’s firewood laws, please visit our Maine State Summary page