Is there any problem bringing firewood into Baja? Couldn't find any information on the internet.
Is there a good website for the Mexican customs?
Planning a two week trip in Feb and I've got a bunch of firewood I'll like to bring, planning on doing some remote camping.
Thanks all!greengoes - 12-2-2013 at 09:53 AM
If it is a pick-up full of firewood it may be classified as 'building materials' and will be taxed.
Nice handle, the Cats hope it causes no confusion.Ken Cooke - 12-2-2013 at 10:03 AM
I brought enough firewood for a small campfire for one night last weekend. No problems, no questions were asked at the Mexicali POE.vgabndo - 12-2-2013 at 12:25 PM
I'm sure the rules about firewood are as consistent as the name of the border guard who inspects you. I have personal experience with having to pay a
'bite' because the 4 sheets of new 3/4" plywood were water stained, and thus "used" and not permitted. Rather than brave US customs and unload my
whole trailer to get to the PWD and wasting it on the US side, I paid. If I understand correctly, the reason for prohibiting old wood is that it can
be full of insect pests and disease. I wouldn't EVEN try to argue that my firewood was free of danger to the Mexican forests.
And, firewood is sold to tourists by our hosts in every major community and it isn't THAT expensive. It is a way for people with few resources to earn
a few pesos.
Welcome aboard...GOOSE says hello.
DanO - 12-2-2013 at 12:25 PM
Big no-no. You are likely to be turned around for it at San Ysidro if they pull you into secondary and find it. I wouldn't take the chance. Plenty
of firewood to be had SOB.Ken Cooke - 12-2-2013 at 01:03 PM
In the canyons where I camped, there was more firewood than we could burn. The firewood that my Jeep carried was heavy - if there could be problems
because of this, just carry plenty of matches and a hand ax.chuckie - 12-2-2013 at 01:08 PM
Best firewood ever for free...I have a fire pit on my patio, and a mesquite fire almost every nightsancho - 12-2-2013 at 01:30 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DanO
Big no-no. You are likely to be turned around for it at San Ysidro if they pull you into secondary and find it
With you on that, I believe Mex has the same regs as the US
re; pests, etc., in wood that is not lumber, now the actual
enforcement is another matter, I'm quite sure many Mex customs
officers would not ? it at all, as in a lot of matters in Mex, the
interpretation depends on who you are dealing with at
Mex CustomsTMW - 12-2-2013 at 04:16 PM
Best if it looks like old used lumber like 2x4s etc. Be careful of bringing stuff like trees you cut down in the back yard. It should look like
firewood you would buy at a store or the road side in Baja. Also don't bring back any firewood, leave it in Baja. I've been lectured by the Mexicans
and the US on this. Interesting both sides let me keep it if I promised not to do it again, which I did.
Firewood
bajaguy - 12-2-2013 at 04:42 PM
Why take up valuable space that could better be used for food or a dog.
Buy locally and support a local, it or scrounge for it in Baja.David K - 12-2-2013 at 06:10 PM
Probably not acceptable by Mexican authorities, but if it is in your truck going south (because there are no vendors selling leņa 'firewood' where you
camp and there isn't any around to gather), the plastic wrapped, bug free, store bought firewood cannot be returned to the USA, so if
you don't burn it in Baja, leave it for the next guy.freediverbrian - 12-2-2013 at 06:48 PM
In gonzaga no fire wood for sale, but with the big rains in the fall lots of stuff in the wash mostly road crew depree. If wood was for sale I would
buy itacadist - 12-2-2013 at 07:52 PM
I'm not even touching this one.........woody with a view - 12-2-2013 at 08:02 PM
bring it. stack your 4x6 pieces in a layer up towards the front and pack the rest of your crap around it to hide it. burn the pests and beetles and be
happy.redhilltown - 12-3-2013 at 12:06 AM
a tough one! in a true desert collecting firewood is really not the best thing to do...it won't burn long enough to really make a difference anyways
(yeah yeah... I know what some of your are thinking about giant campfires of creosote and joshua trees)...but in a higher elevation situation
collecting firewood is not a bad idea if done responsibly. If heading to a remote beach local you really need to bring all you need...maybe at least
for the first night...but you'll need more...Baja is a firewood extravaganza...if truly remote and not a "used" area then I don't see much problem for
a small campfire but we gringos tend to like em big.
Just don't make a friggin rock ring!!! I have destroyed hundreds in my day...if it is a well seasoned and well used one fine, but don't make new
ones. Dig a hole and then cover it up (sorry if you already do this but blackened rocks in a circle in a pristine desert area is so idiotic and
unnecessary.)RnR - 12-3-2013 at 08:10 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by redhilltown
Just don't make a friggin rock ring!!! Dig a hole and then cover it up (sorry if you already do this but blackened rocks in a circle in a pristine
desert area is so idiotic and unnecessary.)
Gotta agree.
What purpose does that rock ring serve??
Just clear the ground, build your fire, dig a small hole next to the ashes the next morning, scrape them in, cover it up.
The next person then gets to enjoy the campsite just as you found it.DianaT - 12-3-2013 at 08:37 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by acadist
I'm not even touching this one.........
Smart man.
Just one comment. If one has a fire on the sand, in or out of a container, please pour buckets and buckets of sea water on it. We have seen what
can happen when someone the next morning steps on the sand where a fire had been buried the night before. Not good.
[Edited on 12-3-2013 by DianaT]mtnpop - 12-3-2013 at 08:45 AM
comment"
from an old Indian friend...
White man build big fire stand way back, use much firewood. Indian build small fire and stand up close. not use much firewood...
With Chuckie on this,,, the ranchers around Mulege have an abundant supply of mesqite at generally affordable prices..
we do the same almost daily.. in the fireplace and firepit..David K - 12-3-2013 at 08:46 AM
If there were rocks left around it, then everyone would know it was a fire pit and not step in it! mtnpop - 12-3-2013 at 08:56 AM
Once upon a time in the olden days, I lead pack trips to the Colorado high country mostly high school and college kids..
part of the training was to never build a fire ring, causes more impact in that spot.. We always dug a small hole and had our fire there,,, easy
to extinguish and cover up... in a couple of days you would not know anyone ever camped in that spot..
Of course nowadays in Colorado we don't get to have many campfires... If you have been watching the news...TMW - 12-3-2013 at 09:30 AM
Another source of fire wood although not wood is the Agave plant. Take the dead ones and burn the bottom part. Plentiful along the pacific coast
especially the surfer zone.DanO - 12-3-2013 at 10:43 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by TW
Another source of fire wood although not wood is the Agave plant. Take the dead ones and burn the bottom part. Plentiful along the pacific coast
especially the surfer zone.
Agree with that, with one caveat: Watch out for the fleeing critters when you fire it up, scorpions in particular.Mexitron - 12-3-2013 at 11:01 AM
Most of the time we can scrounge plenty of firewood in Baja. Only bring some when out on the coast in winter---pretty scarce there (its doable if you
know where to look but pretty arduous). Like Woody said---pack it up front and put everything on top of it...use dimensional lumber so it doesn't
take up so much space. Whenever we use Bluestone for a landscape I save the pallets and cut them up---made out of eastern US Oak---very dense, so
high BTUs for the space.
Gasoline
bajaguy - 12-3-2013 at 11:52 AM
Don't forget the gasoline, plenty of it.
A campfire is not a real campfire unless you use gasoline...YMMVmotoged - 12-3-2013 at 12:09 PM
A good habit when picking up "firewood" in Baja is to kick it before picking it up....the critters tend to scatter with the rude awakening acadist - 12-3-2013 at 06:42 PM
Without the rocks what do you lean your hot dog fork against? redhilltown - 12-4-2013 at 12:19 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
If there were rocks left around it, then everyone would know it was a fire pit and not step in it!
Haha...I get it...you have a point...kind of! I was mostly referring to seldom used primitive camping spots...if at the beach where many people might
use campfires I get it...besides, the rocks can be tossed in the ocean and "cleaned" off. If you are primitive camping in Baja in remote deserts and
you are running around in your bare feet walking into an old campfire is the least of your worries!!!!!
