APHIS Requires Heat Treatment for Shipments of Canada Hardwood Firewood (CBP to Enforce Order Immediately)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a federal order, effective immediately, requiring heat treatment for shipments of all firewood made of hardwood species entering the U.S. from Canada.
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APHIS states that this action is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of wood pests through the movement of firewood made from hardwood species from Canada into the U.S.
Firewood Made from Any Hardwood Species Must be Heat-Treated
To ensure that pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle or emerald ash borer do not enter the U.S. through the movement of firewood from Canada, APHIS is requiring all firewood made from any hardwood species be heat treated to a minimum temperature of 71.1 C (or 160 F) for 75 minutes.
Commercial Shipments Must be Accompanied by Treatment Certificate, Etc.
Commercial shipments of firewood must also be accompanied by a treatment certificate issued by the treatment facility. Noncommercial shipments must be accompanied by either a treatment certificate issued by the treatment facility or an attached treatment label.
CBP to Enforce Order Immediately
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a news release announcing that it will enforce APHIS' order immediately. CBP notes that passengers may be turned back to Canada to dispose of non-compliant firewood shipments.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 05/21/08 news, 08052140, for BP summary of CBP asking travelers not to bring in firewood from Canada.)
APHIS news release (dated 10/22/08) available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2008/10/firewood.shtml
CBP news release (dated 11/17/08) available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11172008_4.xml