GAYLORD — The Michigan Section of Agriculture and Rural Growth is proposing a quarantine on exterior firewood to avert the introduction of undesirable pests and illnesses into the state.
Under the proposal, firewood transported into Michigan would have to be licensed as heat treated at a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at minimum 60 minutes.
Kiln-dried lumber and wooden chips lesser than just one inch and logs or wooden shipped from out-of-point out sources immediately to mills and other amenities for speedy processing would be exempt.
Over 140 pests and ailments can be moved by firewood, which includes Asian prolonged-horned beetle, mountain pine beetle and spotted lanternfly. These pests are not known to exist in Michigan but could be accidentally brought into the state by vacationers transporting firewood, the department (MDARD) claimed.
“Damaging invasive species, some of which are invisible to the naked eye, can conceal in or on firewood. Even though most cannot shift much too considerably on their possess, these pests and illnesses can be transported undetected on traveler’s firewood, setting up new infestations in destinations hundreds of miles absent,” Mike Philip, MDARD’s pesticide and plant pest administration division director stated in a statement. “These infestations can be devastating and pose a severe menace to Michigan’s agriculture, purely natural means and the surroundings.”
Jennifer Holton, an MDARD spokeswoman, explained heat-addressed wood burns the exact same as non-addressed wood. She stated the restriction is unlikely to affect the firewood supply.
“The provide of incoming firewood marketed by vendors is usually underneath agreement, who will specify warmth-dealt with firewood considering the fact that they are typically multi-state merchants who require to be in compliance with federal and other condition exterior quarantines throughout the country,” mentioned Holton.
Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have imposed identical firewood restrictions and/or quarantines, mentioned Holton.
Customers of the general public fascinated in giving responses on this proposed quarantine can post reviews to Mike Bryan, MDARD export and compliance professional by emailing [email protected]. Community comments on the proposal are because of by Nov. 19.