FIREWOOD SHORTAGE A BURNING PROBLEM

VICTORIAN firewood suppliers are scrambling to keep up with a rapid increase in demand, with some stock likely to run out before winter ends.

General manager of the Firewood

Association of Australia Dane McGreevy said panic buying during the pandemic and extreme weather in NSW was to blame for the shortage, which had resulted in rising prices.

“People didn’t just panic buy toilet paper when the pandemic hit, they stocked up on firewood as well. It wiped out our end of year’s stock in a couple of months,” Mr McGreevy said.

NSW, the main supplier of firewood, was devastated by bushfires and floods last year. “The disasters destroyed the wood before the farmers had time to transfer the materials interstate,” he said.

Owner of Surrey Hills Firewood Supplies Dave Orr said “business had at least doubled” in the past year.

Currently Mr Orr is selling red gum firewood, for $410 a tonne.

Dave Orr, owner of Surrey Hills Firewood Supplies, with his dwindling supply, as panic buying leads to a firewood shortage. Picture: Alex Coppel