White Fir Firewood

White fir, sometimes called concolor fir, is all over the mountain West, and if you're buying cheap firewood in that part of the country, there's a good chance some of it is white fir mixed into the pile. It's common, it's affordable, and it works fine for what it is.

At just 14.2 million BTU per cord, white fir is on the lower end. Dry weight comes in at 2,295 lbs., and green weight is 3,585 lbs., so there's a decent amount of moisture to deal with. You won't be heating a 2,000 square foot house through a Montana winter on white fir alone. Not even close. But it puts out some heat and it's there when you need it.

One of the nicest things about white fir is how easily it splits and how few sparks it throws. Unlike a lot of softwoods that pop and crackle and shoot embers everywhere, white fir is relatively calm in the firebox. The trade-off is poor coal quality, fire burns down fast and doesn't leave much to work with. Slight fragrance, nothing special either way.

Six to twelve months of seasoning is all you need, which is standard for fir. Split it in early spring, it's good to go by fall. The green-to-dry weight difference of almost 1,300 lbs. per cord tells you that this wood holds a lot of water, so don't skip the drying time.

White fir earns its keep as kindling, campfire wood, and a quick-heat option for mild days. Mix it with something like oak or hickory for winter and save the fir for getting fires started. If you want to compare fir varieties, check out Balsam Fir firewood. It's actually lighter per cord but has better fragrance.