--- title: Firewood Species for the Sierra and Great Basin url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/best-firewood-sierra-great-basin/ 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/) - [The Field Guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/) - Best firewood species in the Sierra and Great Basin # Best firewood species in the Sierra and Great Basin The best firewood is dry, local wood that is dense enough to burn long. In general, denser hardwoods burn longer and take longer to season, and lighter softwoods light easily and burn fast, but how dry the wood is matters more than the species. Key takeaways - Dry wood beats the "right" species every time: burn below 20 percent moisture (EPA). - Softwood needs 6 months of seasoning and hardwood 12 (EPA). - Buy local wood and burn it where you buy it. - Ask the seller for species, split date and amount in cords. We do not publish heat ratings or claim one species is best, because we do not have a source we can cite for numbers. This guide gives the framework and the local trees you may see offered. ## What is the difference between hardwood and softwood firewood? Hardwoods come from broadleaf trees and softwoods from conifers, although the labels are botanical and not always about hardness. As a rule, denser wood holds more fuel in the same stack and burns longer, and it needs longer to dry, which is why the EPA recommends 12 months for hardwood and 6 months for softwood. Light woods catch easily and are good for kindling, but you will feed the stove more often. ## Trees you will see offered in our area Local sellers draw on the trees that grow and get cut here: pines such as [ponderosa](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/ponderosa-pine/) and [Jeffrey pine](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/jeffrey-pine/), [white fir](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/white-fir/), [incense cedar](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/incense-cedar/), [pinyon](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/single-leaf-pinyon/), [juniper](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/utah-juniper/), [aspen](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/quaking-aspen/), [cottonwood](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/fremont-cottonwood/), [black locust](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/black-locust/) and [ash](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/ash/). Which are available changes with what is being cut. We cannot tell you which one is best without a cited source, so ask the seller what you are getting and how long it has dried. ## Questions that matter more than species | Ask | Why | |---|---| | How long has it been split? | Time on the stack is what dries it. | | Has it been stored covered and off the ground? | Wood left on the ground soaks up moisture. | | What are the pieces' length and the amount in cords? | So you can compare sellers. See the cord guide. | | Where did it come from? | Out-of-state uncertified wood is restricted in Nevada. | ## How can you tell if firewood is dry? Look is not enough. The EPA says to test with a wood moisture meter and burn below 20 percent. Seasoned wood is darker, lighter in weight and sounds hollow when knocked together. ## Buy local Don't Move Firewood recommends buying firewood where you will use it and says Nevada prohibits the entry of uncertified firewood from areas quarantined for forest pests, including most out-of-state sources. See [don't move firewood](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/dont-move-firewood-nevada/). ## What the numbers would look like, and why we leave them out Tables that rank woods by heat per cord are widely published, but we have not opened one we can cite for Northern Nevada species, and the figures depend on moisture. Rather than copy numbers we cannot source, we point you to the three things you can verify yourself: the moisture reading, the amount in cords and the age of the split. Those decide how a load of wood performs more than the name on the invoice. ## Storing what you buy Whatever the species, store it the way the EPA describes: off the ground, with the top covered, in a stack that lets air through. Keep pine needles and debris out of the pile, and keep the stack out of the first 5 feet around the house, per University of Nevada, Reno Extension. Bring a few days of wood indoors before you burn it. ## Firewood from Battle Born Tree Service We sell a variety of Reno firewood. Availability and species change, so call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for what is on hand and for pricing. ### Sources - [US EPA Burn Wise: Best Wood Burning Practices](https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/best-wood-burning-practices) (read October 17, 2026) - [US EPA Burn Wise: Build Firewood Storage](https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/build-firewood-storage) (read October 17, 2026) - [Don't Move Firewood: Nevada](https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/map/nevada/) (read October 17, 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 - [How to season and stack firewood](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/how-to-season-and-stack-firewood/) - [How big is a cord of wood?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/how-big-is-a-cord-of-wood/) - [Don't move firewood: the Nevada rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/dont-move-firewood-nevada/) - [Single-leaf pinyon](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/single-leaf-pinyon/) - [Firewood and wood chips](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/firewood-wood-chips/) - [Who heats with wood in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/wood-heat-households/) ## More from the blog Pruning and care October 17, 2026 5 min read ### What should you do with your trees in October in Carson City and Reno? In October, finish watering while the ground is open, look over your trees for dead or hanging limbs, and clear leaves and needles away from the house. Save most live-wood pruning for the dormant seas Pruning and care October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Young trees in new subdivisions: the first ten years A young tree in a new subdivision needs very little pruning in its first two or three years, then steady structural pruning to build one strong central trunk and well-spaced branches. The ISA says tre Removal and equipment October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City Green waste has a few legitimate homes in our area: the landfill or transfer station if the load is only wood and green waste, a fire district drop-off day or curbside chipping program if you qualify, [All posts](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week. ### What is the best firewood? Dry wood is best. Species is secondary to moisture. The EPA says to burn below 20 percent. ### Is pine bad firewood? Pine is a softwood that seasons faster and burns faster. It is fine if it is dry. Ask how it is stored. ### Can I burn juniper or pinyon? Both are used locally. Ask the seller how long it has been seasoned. Do not let it pile up next to the house. ### Which species do you sell? We sell a variety of Reno firewood. Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for what is available.