Starting January 1, 2027, Michigan will ban the import of untreated, uncertified firewood from outside the state, a move officials say is meant to keep destructive insects and plant diseases from hitching a ride into the state's forests. The quarantine applies specifically to firewood originating outside Michigan that hasn't been properly heat-treated and certified, and it comes with several carve-outs for industrial wood products.
Who Ordered the Quarantine and Why
The order was issued by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, according to the Detroit Free Press, with department director Timothy Boring signing off on the firewood quarantine on September 17. Boring consulted with the Michigan Invasive Species Program before moving forward, and he said preventing invasive pest introductions in the first place is far more effective than trying to manage an infestation once it's already established. The stated goal, per the same report, is to protect Michigan's agriculture, forests and natural resources from invasive insects and plant diseases that can devastate trees and crops.
Firewood movement is considered one of the most common ways invasive pests and diseases spread into new areas, and the newspaper's report notes that firewood alone can move more than 140 different plant pests and diseases. Among the specific threats officials are watching for: the Asian longhorned beetle and spotted lanternfly, both invasive insects, along with oak wilt and beech bark disease, plant diseases that can travel in untreated logs. Many of these species and pathogens are either unknown to exist in Michigan or only found in limited pockets of the state, according to the report — which is exactly why officials are trying to keep the door shut before an outbreak takes hold.
What's Exempt From the New Rule
Not all firewood or wood products fall under the ban. Properly heat-treated firewood that's certified by MDARD, another state's agriculture department or the U.S. Department of Agriculture will still be allowed in. Kiln-dried dimensional lumber and wood pellets are also exempt, as are wood chips no larger than one inch. Raw wood products headed to sawmills, pulp and paper mills, biomass facilities and similar operations are exempt as well, since that industrial-use wood is typically processed immediately after it arrives in Michigan — destroying any hitchhiking pests before they have a chance to spread, per the Free Press.
Lynsey Mukomel, quoted in the newspaper's report, said firewood poses an elevated risk of spreading invasive diseases specifically because pests can hide inside it undetected and then emerge near living trees once it's burned or stored outdoors. That's part of why officials are pushing a simple rule of thumb for anyone building a campfire or stocking up for winter: buy firewood within 10 miles of where it will actually be burned.
Certification Program and Enforcement
Michigan has already launched a voluntary invasive-free firewood certification program, allowing producers who properly heat-treat their wood to apply for a certified invasive-free seal. Officials are encouraging consumers to look for that seal when buying firewood, and firewood processors who source wood from outside Michigan are being urged to contact MDARD directly for guidance on compliance.
Violating the quarantine constitutes a misdemeanor under Section 24 of Act 189 of 1931, according to the Free Press, and quarantine-rule violations can involve fines and potential sanctions handed down by local courts. MDARD says it will work alongside the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on enforcement, though the two agencies plan to focus heavily on education and awareness through 2027 rather than leading with penalties.
How Michigan Compares to Other States
Michigan isn't the first state to restrict firewood crossing its borders. Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin already allow only certified, heat-treated firewood to cross their state lines, and firewood requirements vary widely from state to state. Maine, for instance, requires that firewood brought into the state be treated so its core temperature reaches at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 75 minutes, according to an emergency order posted by Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; violating that requirement is treated as a civil violation carrying a forfeiture of up to $1,000, per the same order. New York, meanwhile, describes its own firewood violations as subject to a $250 fine plus a $100 civil penalty, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Michigan Invasive Species Program is planning an informational webinar and question-and-answer session on the new quarantine for November 12, running from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and the session will be recorded and posted afterward on the Michigan Invasive Species Program's webinar webpage. The program's broader mission includes preventing new non-native species introductions, limiting the spread of populations already established in the state, responding quickly to early detections, and managing or controlling invasive pests, plants and pathogens overall. For anyone planning to move firewood across state lines before the rule takes effect, officials point to firewoodscout.org as a resource for checking current requirements.
