WAC Chapter To Be Determined

The department is considering establishing a quarantine of untreated out-of-state firewood to prevent the introduction of plant pests and bee pests.

The movement of firewood containing plant pests and bee pests poses a threat to Washington’s forests, agricultural, and environmental interests. Eggs, larvae, and adult stages of many invasive insect pests can be carried on or inside firewood and are easily spread when firewood is moved from one location to another. Introductions of these invasive insect pests have destroyed forests and are costly to control. Such invasive plant pests include emerald ash borer, spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, spotted lanternfly, pine wood nematode, Sirex woodwasp, Japanese cedar longhorn beetle, and other insects and organisms that can directly or indirectly injure or cause disease or damage in plants or parts of plants or in processed, manufactured, or other products of plants, or that can be considered bee pests.

Many states, including Oregon, have already enacted firewood quarantines that prohibit out-of-state firewood that has not been properly heat-treated against pest organisms. These quarantines seek to prevent potentially infested firewood from entering the state and introducing invasive plant pests and bee pests.

This firewood quarantine is necessary to disrupt a dispersal pathway for several invasive plant pests, especially wood-boring insects, and will help prevent their introduction into Washington.

The department will hold public hearings to receive information and comments regarding the proposed amendments on:

Send written comments using one of the following:

Written submissions about the proposed rule may be inspected at:

Please contact Sven Spichiger to discuss development of the rule language prior to publication.

By mail:
Sven Spichiger, Pest Program Manager
Plant Protection Division
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
PO Box 42560
Olympia, WA 98504-2560