Firewood

[Byron Eby]

Just curious about what we all do here for firewood. I have always chopped off of dead trees around camp. I know people like to haul wood in so there is no effort to getting a fire going, however, I have seen those messages about foreign wood introducing foreign critters (correct me if I am wrong).

So what do you all do?

 

[O.Dfj]

A lot of places I tend to visist you have to carry wood in, either because collecting fire wood is not allowed or there is no wood to collect lol. If you camp in the national forests you can usually collect wood for camp fires.

 

[Daniel Etter]

Look up the laws in your area first before bringing your own firewood. Some states do not allow it to brought across state lines due to insects, diseases, fungus, etc... I usually stop at a local hardware store outside the area I'm staying and pick up some wood as a back up if there is nothing dry where I'm staying.

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

Living in a state with this little prick of an insect and seeing what it can do I never transport wood. I will always either forage or purchase if I must near my camp site. Small price to pay vs the destruction they bring with them.

 

[Daniel Etter]

We have the notorious pine beetle out here that creates havoc

 

[4xFar Adventures]

TBH, it's been a while since having a campfire out here in CA. My preference is to bring wood with me, just for preparedness and not having to deal with lashing it on the roof after everything has been packed.

But on the rare occasions fires have been allowed, I will try to buy locally. Most of the time it's at a Safeway, and I've always wondered how local the wood they sell is. Does it really matter if I'm 100-200 miles from home, but the wood they sell came from further away? The safer bet would be the local hardware store or gas station.

 

[vegasjeepguy]

BYOF...bring your own firewood out here in the desert. When we do head to the Spring Mountains, any deadfall has usually been picked clean so we always bring our own. I have a number of friends who work with landscape companies so they usually hook me up. I just have cut it up myself.

 

[Byron Eby]

Thanks for the input, fellas.

 

[Corbet]

Portable propane fire "pits" are also an option. The ambiance sucks but in places like Canyonlands where real fires are not allowed they do offer something to drink beer around. If I burn wood I try to find hardwoods worth hauling or buying. Crappy Pine & Aspen take too much space.

 

[murps]

Craigslist always has free wood! Like mentioned though, I make sure you're allowed bring your own wood to wherever I'm heading.

 

[SLO Rob]

My firewood has a story- I help a group of retiree's that go cut up dead fall or storm fallen trees on people's property. We split it, then use it on a large horse trailer converted to a BBQ pit, for fundraising BBQ's for local youth programs.

 

[Fatsquatch]

Every year we buy a truckload of firewood and store it in the garage for both camping and our fireplace, but we're in a no-transport zone now that the emerald ash boarer has made its way here. If we camp in another county we just buy bundles from vendors near the campgrounds we frequent and leave our own stock at home. We have one guy we buy from when we go down to Red Rock, all the proceeds go to help the needy. We figure it's a good cause and the wood is pretty cheap.

 

[SteveS]

I bring wood with me every time. However, if I know locals sell wood on the road side in the area (from past experiences) I will pack my supply light so that I can get theirs which is always cheaper than what I can get it in the city for. I have learned not to soley rely on that however. I always bring enough wood to have a small fire each night for a few hours. If we find more for sale, we have bigger/longer fires. If not, were still having a good time!

Cant see myself looking for or collecting wood each time we want a fire. I know how to and can; but have zero desire.

 

[MVO]

I have been using kiln dried wood for home and camp. I don't think there are any live bugs leaving the kiln! And it burns real nice too.

 

[The other Sean]

I have been using kiln dried wood for home and camp. I don't think there are any live bugs leaving the kiln! And it burns real nice too.

I always bring along a few pallet planks cut in to 12" sections. I pack them in and around other items in the bed of the truck. Easy to split in to kindling and nice and dry for getting the fire started. Plus, no worries about transporting invasive bugs.

 

[Barton Fink]

.

 

[MVO]

Hey! I'm liking the pallet idea. The guy who travels around picking up pallets...not so much.

 

[BCD461]

I like to gather wood close to the site. The ecological aspect is pretty new to me, but it gives me a chance to scout out the area and see what's around us. Two birds, one stone, ya know.

 

[The other Sean]

Hey! I'm liking the pallet idea. The guy who travels around picking up pallets...not so much.

I grab a pallet here and there from work. I put no effort in to it. I also have a pallet breaking bar so it makes the process of peeling the planks off easy. But, before I had the bar I would just take my circular saw and run across the sides of the 2x4 runners of the pallet and only keep the planks and toss the runners with the nails still in them.

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

California Law dictates that you burn it where you buy it so yeah lol...