With firewood, location is key

It might seem as if one stack of wood is as good as another, especially if it's headed for the fireplace.

But forestry officials say choosing local wood could make a big difference in fighting an onslaught of invasive insects.

The growth of international shipping has increased the availability of goods around the world, but it has carried with it an unintended consequence: exotic insects stowed away on cargo ships and airplanes.

Emerald ash borers and redbay ambrosia beetles are among the invasive bugs that have moved into the United States from Asia in recent years, intent on attacking our forests. Neither has yet reached North Carolina.

A single redbay ambrosia beetle, which is smaller than a sesame seed, can kill an entire tree after boring into the tree and laying eggs. The tunnels become infected with the laurel wilt fungus the beetles carry.

People can help keep them at bay by using only firewood gathered within 50 miles of where it is burned, said Robert Trickel, a pest control expert for the N.C. Division of Forest Resources.

Firewood should not be brought in from other states, Trickel said. Emerald ash borers have been found as close as northern Virginia.

Even moving wood within North Carolina can have consequences. Foresters have fought gypsy moths in North Carolina for years, but certain parts of the state, including Currituck and Dare counties, have worse infestations than others.

Still, insects that have already invaded "are not as scary as the ones that aren't in the state yet," Trickel said.

The shrink-wrapped bundles of firewood seen this time of year outside convenience and grocery stores can contain wood from almost anywhere. Virginia officials investigated the origins of some of it and found wood from as far away as Honduras and Estonia, Trickel said. North Carolina has not conducted a similar survey.

Don't worry about taking home wood bought at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Most of the firewood there seems to come from Johnston and Sampson counties.

Ruby O'Neal and her husband, Douglas, sell oak and hickory harvested near their home in Johnston County, near Zebulon. A large part of this winter's supply was split from trees felled during severe storms this spring.

In years past, much of their wood came from lots that Douglas cleared during construction jobs, though when the economy dried up so did the construction work and the wood that came with it.

If not for the severe weather, the O'Neals might not have had much wood to sell this winter.

"It was like a blessing from God," Ruby O'Neal said.

Which brings up another reason to buy local wood: better stories.