Green Ash Firewood

If you've driven through the Midwest in the last decade, you've probably seen the aftermath of the emerald ash borer, dead ash trees everywhere, whole streets of them. Sad to see, honestly. But it also means there's a mountain of green ash firewood available right now, and if someone's offering it, you should absolutely take it. This stuff is one of the most user-friendly firewoods you'll ever handle.

Green ash puts out 21.1 million BTU per cord, which slots it right in the solid middle of the hardwood range. That's a touch below white ash but still plenty of heat for a primary heating wood. At 3,400 lbs dry per cord, and 4,184 lbs green. It's dense enough to throw real heat without being so heavy you dread stacking it. I've heated entire winters with nothing but ash and never felt like I was settling.

The splitting is where green ash really shines. Straight grain, easy splits, and it practically falls apart on the block. Even rounds that are 18-20 inches across usually go in one or two swings. If you're just getting into processing your own firewood and you're still figuring out your swing, ash is the most forgiving species to learn on.

Here's the real kicker: seasoning time is only 6 to 12 months. That's fast. Cut it in March, split and stack it, and you can burn it by November. Most hardwoods need at least a year, and dense stuff like oak can take two. Green ash gets dry quick because the wood is porous and sheds moisture easily. Run your heating calculator numbers with green ash and you'll see the turnaround time is hard to beat.

If I had to pick one species that does everything well and nothing badly, green ash would be on the short list. Low smoke, few sparks, good coals, easy to split, seasons fast, and puts out respectable heat. It's rated excellent overall for a reason. The only knock is the fragrance is pretty faint, it doesn't give you that sweet smell some folks love from cherry or apple. But you're heating a house, not making potpourri.