Edmonton, June 25, 2026 — As the summer camping season gets underway, the City of Edmonton is reminding residents to “Burn it where you buy it.” Officials are urging campers not to bring firewood home from other communities, warning that it can carry bark beetles responsible for spreading Dutch elm disease, which threatens Edmonton’s urban forest and tree-lined neighbourhoods.
According to the City, protecting Edmonton’s trees is a shared responsibility. Residents are encouraged to follow three key steps to help prevent the spread of the disease.
1. Do Not Move Firewood
Firewood is one of the most common ways bark beetles are transported into new areas. Residents are advised to use firewood where they purchase it and avoid moving it between communities.
2. Remove Bark Beetle Habitat
Elm trees should only be pruned between October 1 and March 31, following provincial guidelines. Dead, dying, or diseased elm wood should be burned immediately or taken to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. It should never be mixed with food scraps or regular household waste.
3. Report Signs of Dutch Elm Disease
Residents are asked to call 311 if they notice symptoms such as wilting, drooping, curling, yellowing, or browning leaves on elm trees, or brown streaks beneath the bark of infected twigs.
City officials emphasized that simple preventive actions can help protect Edmonton’s urban forest and reduce the risk of Dutch elm disease spreading throughout the community.
source:city of edmonton
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