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Tennessee · Firewood quarantine
Tennessee Firewood Rules
Whether you can bring firewood into Tennessee or into a park, the state firewood quarantine, and the heat-treatment standard, from the Department of Agriculture and each park.
Photo: Mobius (Public domain), Wikimedia Commons
Bringing firewood into Tennessee
States and provinces outside Tennessee, except counties that share a border with Tennessee (listed in the rule for AL, AR, GA, KY, MS, MO, NC and VA). A person shall not ship any firewood into the state or from a quarantined area unless the shipment is accompanied by a treatment certificate, compliance agreement, or written authorization from the department of agriculture.
Packages must show compliance agreement number and treatment schedule, net quantity, name and address of manufacturer/packer/distributor, and county and state of origin.
Firewood rules in Tennessee parks and forests
| Where | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State Parks | Only certified heat-treated firewood is allowed to enter the state park. All campfires should be made with heat-treated wood or downed wood collected inside the park, near the campsite. Certified heat-treated wood is clearly marked with a state/federal seal. | Source |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Only heat-treated firewood that is bundled and certified by the USDA or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. Campers may also collect dead and down wood found in the park for campfires. | Source |
| Big South Fork | Only firewood from the surrounding counties of Scott, Morgan, Pickett, and Fentress in Tennessee and McCreary in Kentucky can be brought into the park. Firewood is for sale or you may use dead and down wood. | Source |
| Cherokee National Forest | No Cherokee National Forest order requiring certified or heat-treated firewood was found on the forest's alerts, permits or wildlife pages. The permits page states: Permits are required for the removal of most forest products, including firewood. | Source |
Why firewood is regulated
While this beetle has been a quarantined pest since its initial detection in the U.S., both the state and federal quarantines were lifted in 2021 following federal deregulation of this pest. The pest was first found in Tennessee in July 2010, truck stop on I-40 in Knox County.
Don't Move Firewood! Firewood is a very common transportation method for this beetle. Using heat-treated firewood can help reduce the spread of forest pests that are often transported in firewood.
Questions about firewood in Tennessee
Can I bring firewood into Tennessee from another state?
Only heat-treated firewood with a treatment certificate or label, unless it comes from a county that borders Tennessee.
Can I bring my own firewood to a Tennessee State Park?
Only certified heat-treated firewood may enter a state park. Campers may gather dead wood on the ground in campgrounds.
What firewood is allowed in the Smokies?
Only heat-treated firewood bundled and certified by the USDA or a state agriculture department. Concessioners at Cades Cove and Elkmont sell it.
What about Big South Fork?
Only firewood from Scott, Morgan, Pickett and Fentress counties in Tennessee or McCreary County in Kentucky, or certified heat-treated wood.
Does Cherokee National Forest restrict firewood?
No forest order requiring certified firewood was found on the forest pages read.
Is the emerald ash borer quarantine still in effect?
No. Tennessee and USDA lifted their emerald ash borer quarantines in 2021, and the state firewood quarantine replaced it.
What does heat treated mean?
Heated to a core temperature of 160 F for at least 75 minutes, under the state rule.
Campfire today?
Check burn bans and fire weather alerts before you light one.