Red Alder Firewood

Red alder is the Pacific Northwest's most common hardwood, and if you heat with wood anywhere from Northern California up through Washington and into Alaska, you've probably burned your share. It grows fast, it grows everywhere, and people are always clearing it. Free firewood doesn't get much easier.

Don't let the "hardwood" label fool you too much, at 14.8 million BTU per cord and 2,380 lbs. dry, red alder hits like a middleweight softwood. It's nowhere near oak or maple territory. But it burns clean with low smoke, throws only moderate sparks, and leaves good coals behind. That coal quality is honestly the best thing about it.

Splitting alder is a breeze. Fresh rounds practically fall apart, and even bigger pieces don't put up much of a fight. It's one of those species where you can get a cord split and stacked in an afternoon without destroying your back. Clean, straight grain, no drama.

Seasoning time ranges from 6 to 18 months, and that wide range is real. Thin pieces dry in half a year no problem. Bigger rounds closer to 18 months. Alder has a reputation for rotting fast if it sits on the ground, so get it split, stacked, and off the dirt right away. Covered top, open sides, good airflow.

Red alder shines as a firewood type for shoulder season burning, campfires, and mixing with denser woods. The salmon smokers up in the Northwest swear by it for a reason, clean, mild flavor, burns steady. For serious winter heating in the PNW, you'll want Douglas Fir firewood as your backbone. But alder is a great complement.