--- title: Is Wood From a Beetle-Killed Tree Safe to Burn or Move? url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/is-beetle-killed-wood-safe-to-burn-or-move/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [Questions and answers](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/) - [Firewood and wood chips](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/) - Is wood from a beetle-killed tree safe to burn or move? # Is wood from a beetle-killed tree safe to burn or move? Burning dry wood at home is the normal use; moving it is the part to be careful about. Nevada restricts some firewood movement to slow pests, so keep the wood local and ask the agency before hauling it far. ## Burning it Wood from a standing dead pine can be dry enough to burn. The caution is rot. The EPA says not to burn wet, rotted, diseased or moldy wood, and a pine that has been dead for years may be punky inside. Test it with a moisture meter, as the EPA suggests, and burn dry wood only. See [bark beetles in pines](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/bark-beetles-in-pines/) for how the infestation works and [removing dead pines](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/removing-dead-pines-bark-beetles/) for what the arborist checks. ## Moving it The Don't Move Firewood campaign's advice is to buy firewood where you will burn it, and to use certified heat-treated wood if it must travel. Out-of-state uncertified firewood is restricted in Nevada, and the campaign lists the state's rules. We have not quoted any distance limit for in-state moves, because we did not find one. If you plan to haul beetle-killed wood across a county line, to a cabin or off the mountain, ask the Nevada Division of Forestry or the Nevada Department of Agriculture first. They decide. ## What we do with it When a crew removes a beetle-killed pine, the wood and brush can stay, be cut or hauled away, depending on what you tell the arborist at the estimate. We do not promise a disposal method until we have seen the tree. Keep any stack away from the house, 30 feet at least, as the UNR Extension guide advises. Our own firewood is a separate offering, with no published species or terms. Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). For the rules on moving wood, read [don't move firewood: the Nevada rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/dont-move-firewood-nevada/). A safe habit is to burn wood close to where it was cut and to avoid carrying it to a different county or out of the region. If you are unsure about a particular load, ask the Nevada Department of Agriculture or the Division of Forestry before you move it. ### Sources - [Don't Move Firewood: homepage (buy local, certified heat-treated firewood)](https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/) (read October 17, 2026) - [US EPA Burn Wise: Best Wood Burning Practices](https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/best-wood-burning-practices) (read October 17, 2026) - [Don't Move Firewood: Nevada](https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/map/nevada/) (recorded October 1, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Don't move firewood: the Nevada rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/dont-move-firewood-nevada/) - [Bark beetles in pines](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/bark-beetles-in-pines/) - [Removing dead pines after bark beetles](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/removing-dead-pines-bark-beetles/) - [Firewood and wood chips questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/) - [Firewood and wood chips](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/firewood-wood-chips/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ### All firewood and wood chips questions - [Firewood and wood chips questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/) ## Keep going: firewood and wood chips questions [Can I burn pine in a wood stove?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/can-i-burn-pine-in-a-wood-stove/) [Can I keep the wood from my own tree removal?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/can-i-keep-the-wood-from-my-tree-removal/) [Previous question: Can I burn pine in a wood stove?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/firewood-and-wood-chips/can-i-burn-pine-in-a-wood-stove/)