Ash.......is it any good for firewood?

Don't do it .Bring it to me, quick. One of the best firewood. Splits like a dream, seasons fast, good heat. Get it all you can , fast.

I burn 80% ash.......great wood.

Why was it cut down? If due to symptoms similar to EAB, I'd stay away from it. Not only because you don't want to kill any of your own ash trees, but more importantly you don't want to be the person responsible for its spread.

Hopefully that's not the reason why. But as soon as they found EAB in my area, I'm reluctant to take ash if there's a chance its got EAB. Which is too bad, it's good burning.

Great wood to burn. Splits like a dream and it'll burn good if left to dry for a year, dried for two years and you'll think it's the best wood you ever got. Don't worry about the eab once it's dead and split.

"Ash.......is it any good for firewood?"



(An oldie but goodie.)

I've always said if I had to be restricted to burning only one species of wood it would be ash -- it will never get the high praise like oak, black locust or osage, but it is just a good, all-around wood to burn. Typically ash -- especially white ash -- splits like a dream (if you give it a dirty look long enough it may even split itself). In general it seasons pretty quickly -- but don't believe the hype about seasoning in only three or six months -- it is far better to give it a 9-12 months at a minimum, barring anything like kiln drying. In terms of heating it is a mid-level performer . . . but that's fine for me.

EAB larva are what kill ash trees. Once the die the EAB is long gone.

Get it all.

So if EAB and its spread isn't a concern then why do we care about the timber we have lost and why have governments spent over a decade limiting the transport of firewood where there's EAB? Original poster didn't say if the tree was healthy, sick, or dead, although we can surmise it surely isn't split.

I have no idea whether the tree has EAB larva, hopefully doesn't, but I'm not sure what's so crazy to suggest checking for symptoms. It's not as though EAB has never been found in a new area for the first time. Kind of like it popped up around here for the first time last year. Almost my whole yard is ash trees, and the last thing I want to do is lose them sooner because I brought home a couple trucks of an infected tree.

bholler said:

I generally agree with you about transporting wood very far. But honestly if your area of WI is anything like most of PA it doesn't matter anymore when it comes to ash. All of our ash is dead or dying no more harm can be done to them.

Click to expand...

You're probably right, it might just be a matter of time until we lose all of our ash trees. And when they are all dying, you're right there won't be more harm that can be done. Fortunately for many of our areas we haven't lost many yet and I think it's worth trying to delay their demise, even if potentially inevitable. It seems the powers that be feel the same way, so I still think it's quite valid to point out to the OP that there is a concern.

bholler said:

I agree with you it should always be considered when transporting wood. And I don't know your area I can only speak to ours and here you can transport ash where ever it doesn't matter anymore everything is way to far gone.

Click to expand...

Yep - they took down the "do not transport firewood" signs in Ohio probably 10 years ago....

I love Ash. Need to start planting some new trees after all of mine are getting wiped out. I will almost have 100% ash for this winter except some oak chunks for cold nights. Was any easy way to get ahead this winter.

TedyOH said:

Yep - they took down the "do not transport firewood" signs in Ohio probably 10 years ago....

Click to expand...

Yep, it's been a while. We amazingly still have a good number of them still kicking around our prop. Hope they make it through. Ash is the workhorse of many a wood burner. Splits easy, burns well, seasons relatively fast and can even find some dead tree tops that are below 20% fresh split. Stock up.

DoubleB said:

So if EAB and its spread isn't a concern then why do we care about the timber we have lost and why have governments spent over a decade limiting the transport of firewood where there's EAB? Original poster didn't say if the tree was healthy, sick, or dead, although we can surmise it surely isn't split.

I have no idea whether the tree has EAB larva, hopefully doesn't, but I'm not sure what's so crazy to suggest checking for symptoms. It's not as though EAB has never been found in a new area for the first time. Kind of like it popped up around here for the first time last year. Almost my whole yard is ash trees, and the last thing I want to do is lose them sooner because I brought home a couple trucks of an infected tree.

Click to expand...

No, it certainly wasn't crazy to bring it up. You are correct that if the tree still has life in it, some larva may still be present and it shouldn't be transported. Unfortunately here.....all our Ash are dead with bark falling off. I made an incorrect assumption that the OP would be the same. You gave a legitimate warning.

I live outside of Louisville and there are dead Ash trees all around me. EAB has absolutely devastated this area. People beg me to come cut up and take away their dead Ash trees so I oblige. No worries about bringing to my property because they're already there.

If that's the case for you, about the only thing you can do is treat the Ash you hope to keep. I've used this drench which contains Imidacloprid (per the recommendation of the Kentucky entomology website) to kill and prevent EAB. So far 4 trees I would be very sad to see die are thriving. My neighbor on the other hand has 6 huge dead Ash trees and counting that's going to be very expensive to remove. You can see the classic D shape entry points and pealing back the bark shows the unmistakeable serpentine larvae pattern.

Compare-N-Save Systemic Tree and Shrub Insect Drench https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ARKS5QO/?tag=hearthamazon-20

If you are concerned about transporting Ash, take a look at the specific situation and decide if you want to risk it. I wouldn't want to contribute to the spread of Emerald Ash Borers, but in my circumstances I don't I regularly cut borer killed Ash and move it ten miles to my house. The whole trip passes through stands of White Ash that are dead or dying from Emerald Ash Borer. so there is nowhere along the trip or in my neighborhood where I could introduce Emerald Ash Borer - they are already here, there and everywhere in between. The leading edge of the infestation is 50 or more miles east and south of me, and I am in a sea of Emerald Ash Borers. There are almost no large White Ash trees still alive and healthy in my county.

Rereading my post if it sounds a little snippy, I apologize if it had that tone. My perspective was from WI, where half our state hasn't reported EAB yet, and the portions I come from that are under quarantine have had only spotty patches. I feel for you guys that are from regions that have already been wiped out, and wasn't imagining what it is like there.

I suppose I should get my act together one of these days and look into getting my favorite ash trees treated.

DoubleB said:

Rereading my post if it sounds a little snippy, I apologize if it had that tone. My perspective was from WI, where half our state hasn't reported EAB yet, and the portions I come from that are under quarantine have had only spotty patches. I feel for you guys that are from regions that have already been wiped out, and wasn't imagining what it is like there.

I suppose I should get my act together one of these days and look into getting my favorite ash trees treated.

Click to expand...

We are all good! Hope your ashes don't go the same way ours have.

Ash is great

Junebug90 said:

Ash is great

Click to expand...

You bet your ash it is!

It might be easy to split, but you still have to bust your ash.