Firewood - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Fordzilla · 04-13-2006, 05:03 PM

We burn firewood all weekend long when we camp. We like to do 90% of the cooking over an open fire and it doesn't take too long to go thru a pickup load of firewood. We have been lucky with getting calls from people that have a tree fall over and go and clean up the mess for the free firewood. I have about 6-8 cords of wood split, stacked and ready for this summer. Mostly oak, walnut, and locust.

On edit: I plan to bring along as much as I can to the fall rally. Is there any restrictions going from Iowa to Indiana?

Montana_1197 · 04-13-2006, 05:20 PM

Standard split firewood is heavy, awkward to stack and manage, and it makes a mess in the truckbed. Because of possible critters I wouldn't want it anywhere near the 5er. But because of different regs state to state I go a different route. For me the best firewood out there is the old fence pickets. When I see a fence company replacing a old wood fence I don't hesitate. They are usually more than happy for me to cart off two or three sections. Once home I take my power saw and cut the pickets (still attached in sections) into lengths usually about 14-16" long. It takes about 5 minutes to cut up each section and dump the remains in the dumpster. All those cut pieces then stack beautifully in "milk" crates. Easy to handle, store, not messy and burns great. All thats left is a couple of whacks with a hacket to split it and Ta-Da......

Montana_1197 · 04-13-2006, 05:22 PM

One more thing. Keep on the lookout for pieces of copper tubing. Just plain old copper tubing, any size, new or old. Cut it into 12" length, toss one into your fire and watch the pretty colors it adds.

dsprik · 04-13-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Fordzilla

We burn firewood all weekend long when we camp. We like to do 90% of the cooking over an open fire and it doesn't take too long to go thru a pickup load of firewood. We have been lucky with getting calls from people that have a tree fall over and go and clean up the mess for the free firewood. I have about 6-8 cords of wood split, stacked and ready for this summer. Mostly oak, walnut, and locust.

On edit: I plan to bring along as much as I can to the fall rally. Is there any restrictions going from Iowa to Indiana?

Ron, here is a website off of a website that Carol supplied...

The info here says some counties in Indiana (read on this first link) some counties in Ohio (map on second link) and ALL of Mich (just have to pull out a full state map for that) are under quarantine.

The reading of the legal description of what to do, and more specifically, what NOT to do will give you an incredible headache. (Michigan's law is easy: YOU CANNOT TRANSPORT ANY FIREWOOD, ANYWHERE IN THE STATE PERIOD)

I'll help you a little on IN rules... a "regulated article" is "firewood", among other things. You can carry "regulated articles" (firewood) through these quarantine/infested areas, as long as you don't stop, don't pick anything up, and don't leave anything in the quarantine area (I probably missed something - like, "Don't breathe" - but I now need some ibuprophen), AND as long as you have a special inspection certificate from a Indiana State Inspector prior to traveling through these areas.

If you haven't lost your enthusiasm for doing this, Ron, it sounds like your best bet is to call the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, or some similar govt office to make sure you're doing the right thing.

I don't see anything outside of these three states...

http://www.in.gov/legislative/regist...F312040177.PDF

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/eab/m...quarantine.pdf

I will tell you that I love campfires - regardless of the ash I have to clean off stuff the next morning, and Cheryl... well, Cheryl goes through CG directories and draws lines through those that don't allow campfires (she doesn't seem to think it's necessary to consult with me about this...). For her, it's "No campfire - no camping - no discussion".

*On Edit~ Also, if you happen upon one of these critters - I can't remember if it was on the IN, or the OH website - you must call the State immediately, capture the beetle in a jar, put it in a freezer to kill it (I'm NOT making this up), and then send it to a State office, as directed.

Montana Sky · 04-13-2006, 06:23 PM

Dave,
Sounds to me like it is more trouble than it is worth. I am eyeing one of those patio heaters that run on propane, Costco has them right now and they will sure do the trick down at the river all summer.

dsprik · 04-13-2006, 06:32 PM

I agree, Dave. I believe these patio gas fireplaces are going to be very popular. I think I saw either Walmart or Target with a couple different models in the section with the rest of their patio furniture that they always set up this time of year.

JH Sechelt · 04-13-2006, 07:26 PM

I Know what you mean Jim,
I lived in Kelowna 74 to 78 & Penticton 78 to 80. Can't believe how much it has grown in the last few years.
Been back on the Sunshine Coast for the last 17 years and things are going nuts here.
Thinking of retiring next year and Moving to the Island and joining Don & Donna.
But I think it's getting crowded over there too.
Maybe we'll just full time it and move around, keeping ahead of the crowd.
J & D

Fordzilla · 04-13-2006, 10:29 PM

Thanks Dave, I think I need to hire an attorney to read thru that before I do anything. WOW!

CountryGuy · 04-14-2006, 02:40 AM

Not sure Ron, but Indiana did have some quarantine areas, go back to that post I made with links and follow to Indiana. From what I saw in a very quick review of those sites, the worst seems to be right about the Michigan/Indiana and Michigan/Ohio lines, but did note a few counties mid Indiana that were listed as well. A check of DNR type sites for Iowa and Illinois might have some info.

Driftwoodgal · 04-14-2006, 03:30 AM

Country Guy,

It is a fungus that actually kills the tree, but the beetles can carry the fungus from a sick tree to a well tree. We have lost over 100 oaks and it is still traveling on our property. Here is a link to information about it. Texas is not the only state that has it.

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/SPFO/pubs/fi...lt/oakwilt.htm

Ok how do you insert the hyperlink? That is one of the pages that has information about oak wilt.

CountryGuy · 04-14-2006, 03:43 AM

Driftwoodgal, your link worked just fine! copy and paste!

ohh, nasty stuff, and I see that there are some counties in Michigan that are affected, per that map.

How much is that propane fire thing at Costco????

dsprik · 04-14-2006, 04:10 AM

Indiana mentions both "quarantine counties" and "infested townships", but they only show the "infested twps" on this map. Maybe they assume that if a county has an infected twp, that's an automatic that that county is a "quarantine county"?

Ron, maybe a quick (?) call to the contact number on that website might be productive. At least you will get a feel (I hope) for what you could expect from them if you wanted to haul firewood - either a simplified process - or a "Gestapo-type" full body cavity search/disassembly of your tv and 5ver/etc. It might help determine just how much trouble it actually wil be - or not be.

Maybe they would be more receptive if you told them you were bringing your own little glass jars???

Merv · 04-14-2006, 07:07 AM

We usually carry firewood, but with all the restrictions about the ash borer I think we are going to stop this year.
The part I dont quite understand is that the log trucks run back and forth from Michigan to Wisconsin every day. Wouldnt this be more concern than the few logs we carry?
Guess its back to the old scavenging for wood at the camground.
Merv

Fordzilla · 04-14-2006, 08:29 AM

I called Jodie Ellis @ (765)-494-0822. She was very helpful and told me Iowa has no Emerald Ash Borer quarantined counties. So, I was safe to bring firewood into the state but she recommended that I do not bring any firewood home with me. She commended me on checking it out and asking before potentially bringing more into the area. She said by late September all the EAB's would be hibernating for the winter and we all should be pretty safe as far as not transporting any of them back to our home areas. She also informed me they are ash tree specific. So unless you have some ash firewood they wouldn't mess with you. I told her my pile is all Walnut, Oak, and Locust. She also recommended this web site: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/

Wordsmith · 04-14-2006, 08:34 AM

It certainly does add weight, but I refuse to buy expensive bags of firewood, and since a fire is a must each night, it goes with us when we travel.

CountryGuy · 04-14-2006, 08:40 AM

Merv, in answer to your question, and I am really not positive, so called this an sorta guess:

There is no ash borer north of the bridge, and they are trying to keep it that way, that is why they will not let you bring firewood over the bridge and you must be inspected,etc etc etc.

The run from Michigan to Wisconsin is ALL north of the bridge.

Unless of course, they are taking the trees from say the Gaylord area, running the bridge, and then across the UP and into Wisconsin.

I am not aware of any logging areas in that upper portion of the Lower Pen. But, then again, this is NOT any more than a guess.

Ron, if you bring firewood, seems to me, that you will just HAVE to burn it all and not take it home!

Fordzilla · 04-14-2006, 08:45 AM

That was my plan for the Rally this fall. We have to have a fire and I have plenty of firewood now. I suggested to LadyRV that I would bring some for the rally. I would prefer to burn it all up and not take any home. Less weight=better mileage on the way home. Unless we find too many treasures that we just cant live without.

Glass Guy · 04-14-2006, 08:45 AM

In Ohio and Michigan it does not matter what kind of wood it is they don't want you to take wood in or out of effected areas. I have some wild cherry but it is still illegal to transport no matter what time of year it is. If you are parts of Ohio and Michigan its not worth the chance of getting caught and paying a hugh fine. Roman

dannyl · 04-14-2006, 08:47 AM

Oklahoma and Texas do not have a quarantine on wood but Oklahoma and most of Texas is under a burn ban now because of drought.

There have been numerous fires in Oklahoma and Texas lately because of outside burning or throwing cigarettes out the car window.

some Counties in Texas have lifted the burn ban but are now talking about banning all outside burning until we get some rain and green growth.

CountryGuy · 04-14-2006, 08:59 AM

I think Ron might be advised to check all those web sites again closer to Rally time, and see if the summer has brought about any changes in areas or quarantine. Seeing that the federal funding has dried up on and they are no longer cutting and disposing of trees, this EAB may spread like the wildfires of Texas and the banns may have changed.

Roman, we are with you, take no wood along, if we cannot find wood to burn, then we do without. We have seen what this EAB does, we have seen up front and close and personal like what the devastation has been like. We don't want the fines, the tickets or feel we have contributed to the spread of this nasty stuff.

Campfires are wonderful, we all love them, but, at what cost?? Sorry, my personal pleasure does not stack up to the health of our native trees and plants. (Ok, off my soap box, or is that my wood pile?)

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