Correct operation: Tips to select firewood

A key factor to creating a bright hot fire is good fuel. The reason wet (unseasoned) firewood leads to increased smoke emissions is due to the heat required to evaporate the water before the wood will burn. This lowers the temperature of the fire causing less complete combustion leading to excessive smoke emissions.

Burning dry (seasoned) firewood will give you a hot fire, leading to more complete combustion and therefore comparatively lower smoke emissions than burning wet firewood.

If buying firewood

If buying wood to use immediately, always buy dry, seasoned, untreated wood. Refer to the manufacturer's operation manual to identify the correct fuel to purchase – hard or soft wood.

Unseasoned wood has high moisture content. Unseasoned wood is hard to ignite, slow to burn, and produces more smoke and less heat. Burning unseasoned wood can cause your heater flue to clog up more quickly.

You can save money by purchasing unseasoned firewood in the early spring and storing it in a well ventilated shed or other covered area until winter. It is best to stack wood in a criss-cross pattern. Freshly cut wood is best stored for at least eight to 12 months prior to use.

If collecting firewood

You may need a licence or permit. Collection of firewood from public land without a licence is illegal and heavy penalties apply. Call the Department of Sustainability and Environment on 136 186 or visit its website.

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What NOT to burn

Never burn household rubbish, driftwood or treated or painted wood. It is sure to pollute the air and it can produce more toxic gases.

For example, the black part at the bottom of old telegraph poles is saturated with pesticides like creosote.

Green pine logs used for constructing garden edges and park and playground equipment are treated with copper-chrome-arsenate (view publication Your health and Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) treated timber (Adobe PDF file). These logs are safe to handle but release toxic substances when burnt.

Most old painted wood is likely to contain lead-based paint and should not be burnt.

Never burn coal or coke as they emit sulphur dioxide that can cause health problems.

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Did you know?

To tell if wood is dry/seasoned, bang two pieces together. You should hear a loud, hollow crack. Or tap the wood with a key or coin. Dry wood makes a sharp resonant sound. Wet wood makes a dull sound.

Read further information on wood moisture content.

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