On Prince Edward Island (PEI), federal and provincial authorities strictly regulate the movement of firewood. The province has areas under quarantine for several invasive tree pests including spongy moth, Dutch elm disease, European larch canker, and more, while areas just outside of PEI are rgulated for emerald ash borer, brown spruce longhorn beetle, and hemlock woolly adelgid. It is illegal to move firewood out of a regulated area without a movement certificate from the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA). Regulations are designed to keep harmful tree pests from spreading to new areas when people transport untreated firewood. The CFIA and the PEI provincial authorities collectively have the following recommendations for residents and visitors when handling firewood:
- Buy certified heat-treated and/or locally-cut firewood (from within 80km of the intended location of use).
- Do not bring firewood into the province from other areas unless the wood has been properly treated and certified. Even firewood prepared by the users themselves cannot be guaranteed pest-free.
- Utilise the drop-off boxes found at both primary entrances to PEI, in Borden-Carleton (within the gateway village) and Wood Islands (at the Wood Islands Marketplace) to dispose of firewood from off-island and exchange it for locally sourced firewood at provincial and national park campsites. See here for more information.
*Open fires may not be allowed at PEI’s national parks and provincial park campgrounds, and park or provincial authorities may put fire restrictions when wildfire risk is high. Visit the park’s website, call, or visit the park to ask the campground staff for the most current information. Information about provincial fire restrictions can be found here.
Bringing firewood from Canada into the USA is prohibited unless the firewood is labeled and certified heat-treated. Read about these requirements on the USDA and CBP firewood information sheet.
Bringing firewood from the USA into Canada is prohibited unless the firewood is labeled and certified as heat-treated. Canada also encourages visitors to use local firewood.
Contact your local CFIA office for specific questions about firewood movement.
This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 2 January 2025.
Prince Edward Island (PEI) Resources:
- Don’t Move Firewood, PEI Invasive Species Council
- PEI Invasive Species Council
- Buying and Burning Firewood on PEI
- Tree Insect and Disease Information
- Invasive Plant and Animal Species in PEI
General Canada Web Resources:
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency – Don’t Move Firewood Page
- Canadian Council on Invasive Species – Buy Local Burn Local
- US Customs and Border Protection (Regarding personal firewood from Canada into the USA)
- Canada Border Services Agency (Regarding person firewood from the USA into Canada)
Pest Specific Information
- Asian Longhorned Beetle Questions and Answers, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Asian Longhorned Beetle Invasive Species Profile – PEI Invasive Species Council (PEIISC)
- Brown Spruce Longhorned Beetle Information, CFIA
- Brown Spruce Longhorned Beetle Invasive Species Profile, PEIISC
- Emerald Ash Borer, CFIA
- Emerald Ash Borer Invasive Species Profile, PEIISC
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, CFIA
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Invasive Species Profile, PEIISC
- Oak Wilt, CFIA
- Spongy Moth Information and Canadian Quarantine, CFIA
- Spongy Moth Invasive Species Profile, PEIISC
For more information, visit our General Canada Information page.
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