DuPage County has banned outside firewood from its forest preserves. The move comes after the discovery of emerald ash borer beetles in bordering Kane County. The half-inch long metallic green pests have killed millions of ash trees in the Midwest over the past five years.
Jayne Bohner of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County says the transport of firewood is one of the top ways the beetles move.
“On their own they only fly short distances per year, but obviously by putting something in your car and driving it from even one county to another, that can increase the risk of spreading the species,” she says.
Bohner adds that the beetles haven’t been found in Illinois outside of Kane County.
Cook County officials say they have never allowed people to bring outside firewood into their forest preserves.