Moving firewood can lead to the spread of diseases, such as oak wilt, and insects.
One such insect, the emerald ash borer, has already killed millions of trees across Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources said.
Recommended Videos
Read more: Michigan DNR offers tips to prevent spread of oak wilt
In some cases, moving firewood is illegal.
It is illegal to move hardwood firewood between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. All the contiguous counties in the Lower Peninsula are quarantined as Level I, and 12 counties in the Upper Peninsula--Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Houghton, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee and Schoolcraft--are Level II quarantine counties.
Moving firewood from anywhere in the state to Beaver Island Archipelago, Big Charity Island, Little Charity Island, Isle Royale National Park, North Manitou Island and South Manitou Island is also prohibited, according the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
It’s also illegal to move firewood from or through Ohio and Indiana into Michigan.
It’s legal to move wood within the quarantine areas, just not in or out, though the MDARD and the DNR urge against moving wood between counties.
Instead, it is recommended that firewood be purchased where it will be burned. All the wood should be burned where it is bought and not moved to another area, the DNR said.
If you are taking a day trip and will have a cookout, bring charcoal or a cook-stove instead of wood.
The DNR said to look for firewood that has been kiln dried and certified. Local firewood vendors can be found at firewoodscout.org.