There's nothing better on these cold winter nights than a nice roaring fire in the fireplace. With Valentine's Day coming, it can also be quite romantic. Because vast areas of West Texas are basically treeless, it can be expensive to find good firewood.

Photo by Matias T on Unsplash
Photo by Matias T on Unsplash
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There are also a number of regulations relating to the movement of firewood in Texas. More on that coming up.

For many reasons, mesquite wood is the best choice for fireplaces in the San Angel o area.

It is one of the most common woods in the San Angelo area. It's also great in the fireplace.  According to the website Firewood-for-Life, mesquite wood is a popular firewood that works well.  It is a dense hardwood that burns clean and doesn't produce dangerous sparks.

The same reasons that make mesquite good for smoking meat, a unique and strong tangy smell, also make mesquite a popular wood in the fireplace.

A quick check of Craigslist finds a few ads for mesquite wood including this one from Wall. The ad reads "Split mesquite firewood. $250 for full tote/half cord. Will sell in smaller quantities. Find the link to the ad here:

Mesquite Firewood For Sale

Photo: Craigslist
Photo: Craigslist
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Aside from mesquite, according to the Awesome Axes website, the best-burning woods in the fireplace are hardwoods.  The Most popular firewood trees include Oak, Hickory, Birch, Ash

For many Texans, there is nothing like Oak in the fireplace. Oak wood is known for its slow burns and clean residues. Each cord of oak produces up to 28 million BTUs. This means it burns hotter than most types of firewood. Unfortunately, it takes nearly two years to be completely dried.

Photo by Dejan Zakic on Unsplash
Photo by Dejan Zakic on Unsplash
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There are some woods that are regulated. Texas regulates the movement of some firewood due to harmful forest pests that threatened the health of trees in our state. Several counties in Texas are under quarantine due to devastating infestations by the emerald ash borer. Moving firewood out of these counties is illegal.

Per Rule §19.701, moving firewood from Bowie, Cass, Dallas, Denton, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Parker, Tarrant, Titus, and Wise.

In addition, most of Texas is under quarantine for imported fire ants which legally restricts the movement of firewood out of these areas. Tom Green County is in the quarantine area.

The Texas Department of Agriculture recommends buying firewood locally, where you plan to burn it, and not transporting firewood to campgrounds or parks.

There are a number of reputable firewood sellers in San Angelo. If it has been a while since you've used your fireplace, it might be a great idea for an inspection.  Dixon Chimney Sweep at 902 Stonewall Drive in San Angelo and Soot Buster Chimney Services at 6718 Grand Canal Court are both available and highly rated.

A nice fire in the fireplace is great on winter nights like these. Like anything worthwhile, It can be a lot of hard work. Knowing the basics can help you avoid danger and the police.

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