Engelmann Spruce Firewood

If you live anywhere in the mountain West and have cleared some Engelmann Spruce from your property, sure, burn it. Just don't expect it to carry you through January.

Engelmann Spruce puts out 12.1 million BTU per cord, which is about what you'd expect from a softwood in the spruce family. At 1,955 lbs dry it's a light wood, though green rounds will run closer to 2,800 lbs per cord, so there's a lot of moisture to drive off. You can see how it stacks up against other species on the firewood types page.

Splitting this stuff is easy. Almost too easy. A sharp maul and one swing is all it takes for most rounds. Smoke is moderate, sparks are minimal, which is a plus if you're burning in an open fire pit. The fragrance is subtle, not the aromatic experience you'd get from cedar, but not bad.

Give it 6 to 12 months to season. The high moisture content when green means you really do need that full drying time. Don't shortcut it or you'll just get a smoky, hissing mess.

Here's my honest take: Engelmann Spruce is fine for campfires, kindling, and getting your stove going in the morning, but it's not a primary heating wood. The coals die fast and you'll go through a lot of it. If you've got access to Black Spruce as well, that's a slightly better option in the same family. Use Engelmann for what it's good at, quick, easy fires when you don't need all-night heat.