Firewood will be in short supply this winter
By Jay Rey, The Buffalo News, N.Y. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"It's just not available," said
Don't bother calling Custom Cordage, either.
"The Average Joe is really going to have a problem getting wood this year," said owner
The sign at Forest Products Firewood says it all:
Firewood sold out until spring.
"This was a first," owner
The weather is largely responsible for the shortage of firewood this year, distributors said.
Wood piles dwindled during the cold, brutal winter, and anxious homeowners -- worried about another freeze and the volatility of fossil fuel prices -- grabbed extra firewood for the upcoming season.
"There's a big demand," said
At the same time, the long winter and wet spring prevented loggers from getting into the backwoods to bring out more firewood.
"It's just been too muddy," Beattie explained.
"Normally in summertime the guys catch up," he said. "It's dry. You can get more work done. That didn't happen. I know crews that were sitting for four or five weeks at a time."
It's not just a problem in
Similar warnings about the short supply of firewood are being reported in regions throughout the Northeast and upper Midwest.
On a recent morning, Clay and his wife Cindie pointed out all the open space on their 10 acres in
"Every empty space you see should be filled with wood," Clay said.
Their company, Forest Products Firewood on
It has supplied 11,000 customers with firewood since opening in 1980.
Last year, the Clays sold and delivered 2,500 face cords, each roll being four feet high and eight feet wide.
But this year, the short supply will drop sales about 40 percent.
"We have at least 3,000 regular customers we cannot provide firewood for," Clay said.
Wood burners are scrambling.
"I'm getting eight to 15 calls a day for firewood," said
"Normally, we have enough wood to take us into December," Sojka said, "but we'll be sold out probably by the end of October."
The weather may be the primary cause for this year's shortage, but distributors said the reduction of firewood has become a trend in recent years for a combination of reasons.
It's not a shortage of natural resources, Carlson, of the trade group, said.
There's plenty of timber, he said, and
But the supply of firewood Clay has on hand has dropped the past several years since the state
That meant Clay -- and others -- could no longer truck in firewood from
In addition, suppliers said they're dealing with a smaller and smaller pool of loggers, something Carlson's group is concerned about over the long term with the aging of the industry.
"There's less and less logging going on," said Vogt, of Custom Cordage in
"It's an expensive business to operate," Vogt said. "It's hard work and working in the woods is one of the most hazardous jobs out there. Insurance cost is crazy. The fuel cost is out of sight."
If by chance you do manage to find some firewood for sale, be prepared to pay up.
Logs are delivered to Beattie's Southern Tier Forest Products in
His little "Bundles of Warmth" are then shipped to major retail outlets throughout the Northeast, including Tops,
Last week, Beattie had about two truckloads worth of firewood warehoused, but the bundles already had been claimed.
There wasn't a single log on his property to produce more kiln-dried firewood.
"I've had to turn down all kinds of business," Beattie said. "I got nothing in my yard."
Clay actually has quite a bit of firewood -- cherry, beech, hickory, ash.
But, he explained, the 270 face cords stacked neatly at the entrance are being held for several restaurants that rely on Clay's firewood to heat their brick ovens.
The rest, he said, was cut more recently and needs to dry so the wood ignites easier and burns hotter. Clay will let those piles sit and season for about a year, and won't start selling firewood again until at least April.
"Because of the short supply available this year, there unfortunately are people selling firewood when it's not properly dried," Clay said.
As for now, all Clay has to offer customers is a little advice.
"Don't wait until September or October to get your firewood," Clay said. "Get it in May or June."
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