LANSING, MI (AP)— Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed a quarantine on exterior firewood to help prevent the introduction of unwanted pests and diseases into the state.
Under the proposal, firewood shipped into Michigan would have to be certified as heat treated at a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 60 minutes. Exempt would be kiln-dried lumber and wood chips smaller than one inch and logs or wood shipped from out-of-state sources directly to mills and other facilities for immediate processing.
The agency says more than 140 pests and diseases can be moved by firewood, including Asian long-horned beetle, mountain pine beetle and spotted lanternfly.
