Is it OK to bring firewood in from another county or state?
In Asheville, keep it local — buy your firewood inside Buncombe County or close to it rather than trucking a load up from the Piedmont or over the state line. Wood carries tree-killing insects like the emerald ash borer, and Buncombe already has plenty of good hardwood sellers a short drive from our Emma Road showroom.
Why Buncombe wood stays in Buncombe
Historic homes in Montford, North Asheville, and Grove Park still run original masonry fireplaces that go through real cordwood, while West Asheville and the newer south-side builds lean on gas — so the wood burners here are a smaller crowd, but the sourcing rule matters just as much for them. A load hauled in from a distant county can be carrying insect larvae and eggs under the bark that won't show until they've killed a new stand of oaks and ash on a local ridgeline.
The bark-beetle and borer damage already visible on the slopes around town is the reason to keep wood close — every mile a split travels is a mile an infestation can jump ahead of the trees it kills.
Sourcing close to Emma Road
We're headquartered at 629 Emma Rd, and there's no shortage of seasoned Buncombe hardwood within a short drive — plenty of it cut and dried out toward Leicester and the county's rural edges, so you don't need to import a thing. Buying from a nearby seller keeps the forest healthier and keeps you from introducing a pest the local trees haven't met.
The one exception worth knowing: certified kiln-dried, heat-treated wood has been through a process that kills any hitchhikers, so it's the safe pick if you're carrying wood to a campsite or a rental. If you've already brought a load in from out of the area, burn through it this season instead of letting it sit and hatch in your yard — and don't carry your local wood the other direction to a distant campground either. Call (828) 545-0525 if you're putting in a new wood stove or insert and want a hand sourcing.
Fireplace help in Asheville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Asheville and the rest of Buncombe County — we're headquartered right here.