When traveling into the state, it is common knowledge that certain items are not allowed. Well, I learned recently that there is one natural and very common item that is banned from being brought into our beautiful state of Maine.

Also, by not bringing this item into Maine, you are protecting our wildlife. Have you made any guesses yet?

According to Maine.gov, bringing untreated firewood into Maine is officially prohibited. Wait, it's wood, you can't bring firewood into the state? This doesn't sound right, does it?

Upon further research, I am starting to understand why this is a law. According to Don't Move Firewood, Maine bans folks from bringing in out-of-state firewood unless it has been heat-treated to a minimum of 160°F for 75 minutes.

They continue to say that it also has to be packaged and labeled to show proof of heat treatment and its origin.

Why is this a thing at all? Well, to protect our trees. The Maine Forest Service is emphasizing the importance of leaving your firewood at home. Unchecked, harmful insects and diseases have a significant threat on our native trees and forests in Maine.

So bringing untreated firewood into the state could spread diseases, posing a risk to the health of our forests. This is why it is crucial to stop bringing in firewood to Maine so that you can protect and preserve our state's natural ecosystems.

Which diseases could be spread to Maine from out-of-state firewood?

Among these diseases is oak wilt. According to dnr.Wisconsin, this is a highly destructive disease that affects oak trees. This is a lethal ailment has been identified as close as New York which isn't far from Maine and shows you the importance of vigilance to prevent its introduction into Maine's ecosystem.

Invasive moths like Spongy Moth and Box Tree Moth are species that are very hard to get rid of. They lay their eggs in the trees and then they will spread to other trees and forests. They are known as being extremely destructive, according to aphis.usda.

Spotted lanternfly is up next, and we know just how annoying these beautiful guys are.

According to aphis.usda, don't let there pretty spots fool you though, they are invasive and suck all the sap from our trees.

There are many more invasive species and diseases that could be spread to our forests in Maine if you bring untreated firewood into the state.

I hope now, you are convinced of the dangers of moving out-of-state firewood here and you buy your firewood locally.

The site goes onto say that if you have already brought in firewood, do not take it back with you to bring home. Burn it! If you can't burn it within 24 hours, you can visit this website.