With the colder turn in the weather, and the possible rise in heating bills, some people will be turning to a more traditional way of heating their home: a roaring log fire.
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But what a lot of people don't know is that the majority of kiln dried firewood that is sold in Britain are actually imported from Eastern European countries, such as Lithuania and Latvia.
The reason why this is important is because, apart from taking money and jobs out of the UK economy, Eastern European firewood is less well regulated, leading to the potential for illegal logging and a less secure source. The British firewood industry is controlled by the Forestry Commission, meaning only those with a felling licence can cut down trees.
The process of bringing firewood the 1,700 miles from Latvia to the UK also causes unnecessary CO2 emissions, which could easily be cut down by buying British logs.
So when you go to buy firewood, what should you be looking for to help you know the difference between European and British wood? You can simply ask the shopkeeper or supplier where the wood is from, but it is likely that they will not know.
A simple test if the firewood is in small nets and it is measured in litres, it will be European. Also, if the logs are 100% Silver Birch or Alder, they are also likely to be from Europe.
HETAS, the Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme, have recently launched the Quality Assured Fuel Scheme, with family Herefordshire business Certainly Wood being the first firewood supplier being approved under the scheme.
There are only a few suppliers currently under the Quality Assured Fuel Scheme at the moment, but the numbers are growing. It might be harder to find logs that are certified by HETAS, but it's worth the effort: that way, you'll know where the wood is from, and its quality.
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