South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has clarified rules for bringing outside firewood into state parks.
The emerald ash borer emergency quarantine restricts the movement of wood from the Sioux Falls area. State parks located within the quarantine area will now allow outside wood if it has a label affixed to certify it as emerald ash borer treated and safe to move. At all other state park areas, outside wood is allowed as long as it has never been within the quarantine area or if it has the certification label. At all parks, campers can burn wood that has been purchased from the park itself. The out-of-state firewood ban is still in effect, which was put into place when neighboring states reported infestations of the invasive insect.
State Park Director Katie Ceroll says over the past decade, knowing an infestation was imminent, the parks have been diversifying woodlands and reducing reliance on ash trees.
An infestation of emerald ash borer was confirmed in northern Sioux Falls in early May. While it is the first confirmed infestation in South Dakota, the invasive insect has killed tens of millions of ash trees in at least 32 states.
For more information about the quarantine and the emerald ash borer, visit http://emeraldashborerinsouthdakota.sd.gov.
