Firewood runs short in January because most dealers only cut in summer, and wood that has frozen stops drying, so whatever is dry by December is all the dry wood there will be until spring. Last winter Northeast dealers reported real shortages, and kiln-dried hardwood in New England went past $400 a cord plus delivery when it could be found at all. The way to avoid it: order in September, while the wood is dry and the delivery calendar is still open.
🔥 Order in September, burn in January: kiln-dried cords delivered
Kiln-dried hardwood, under 15% moisture, USDA certified heat-treated. Free local pallet delivery across New Jersey, Connecticut, NYC, Long Island, Westchester, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Baltimore area. Enter your ZIP on the product page to confirm your address.
Outside the pallet zone? Firewood Boxes ($39.60) and Mega Bags ($49.50) ship free to 11 Northeast states.
What happened last winter
On February 3, 2026, New England Public Media reported real shortages across the Northeast. A Vermont supplier with 40 years in the business put it plainly: "People that really need wood, and they're running out, they're going to have a terrible time finding dry wood because it's just not going to be there."
That was not a story about price. Kiln-dried hardwood in New England was running more than $400 a cord plus delivery in mid-winter, and in places it could not be found at any price.
The four reasons dealers run out
The same report lists why, and none of the four reasons go away on their own.
- Fewer loggers. The trade that cuts the raw logs is shrinking, so dealers start the year with smaller piles.
- Suppliers retiring. A small firewood yard is often one person and a splitter. When that person stops, nobody replaces the yard.
- Most dealers only cut in summer. A seasoned-wood yard splits in early summer, and what is on the ground by late summer is the season's inventory.
- Wood cannot dry once it freezes. A split that is still wet in December stays wet until the thaw.
The firewood calendar, September to January
Demand is not spread across the winter. Search interest for "cord of firewood" climbs from September, peaks in October and November, and every dealer's delivery calendar fills up in the same weeks. Our own pallet delivery calendar fills in the same weeks, and scheduled pallet delivery runs 2 to 3 business days off peak and longer in November and December.
| When you order | What you get |
|---|---|
| September | Dry wood, your choice of delivery week, a full rack before the first fire |
| October to November | Peak demand, calendars filling, delivery on the dealer's schedule |
| December to January | Cold-snap orders queue behind everyone else's, if there is dry wood to send |
Cold weather makes the peak sharper. The official EIA Winter Fuels Outlook for 2026-27 comes out in October, and last winter it was revised upward twice because December ran about 8% colder than the 10-year average. Wood that arrives in September sits dry and ready in the garage. Wood ordered in a January cold snap arrives when everyone else's does, if it arrives at all.
Why kiln-dried supply is different
A kiln does not depend on summer. Ours in Levittown, PA, in Bucks County, runs year round: the wood is heat treated to 160 F at the core for 75 minutes and comes out under 15% moisture whatever the month.
Moisture is the other half of the shortage story. Green or "seasoned" wood at 25 to 40% moisture wastes a large share of its heat boiling off water before it can warm the room, so you burn more of it for the same warmth. Under 15%, it lights in minutes, burns hotter and cleaner, and leaves less creosote.
Then there is geography. Kiln-dried wood is USDA-compliant for transport, which is why it can cross state lines and be delivered to your door. Green wood cannot. Every order ships with a phytosanitary certificate, and Boxes and Mega Bags go free by UPS Ground to 11 Northeast states: NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, RI, NH, VT, DE, MD and DC. When the yard down the road is empty, wood from a kiln two states away still arrives. More on the USDA-certified firewood page and on why kiln-dried wood burns the way it does.
A cord bought in September is also a fixed price. There is no rate case, no fuel surcharge and no surprise on the January bill, and with Northeast electricity at 25.49 cents per kWh as of September 2026, 39% above the national average, that certainty is worth having.
Which size to order
The mixed premium hardwood (oak, hickory, ash, maple, birch) comes in 16 inch splits in four sizes.
- 1/4 cord, palletized, $499, was $590. 32 cubic feet, roughly 200 to 250 pieces. For most fireplace users that is a whole winter of weekend fires.
- 1/2 cord, palletized, $799, was $890. 64 cubic feet. Covers a stove that runs most evenings.
- Mega Bag, 1.75 cu ft, $49.50, about 60 lb, free UPS Ground. Roughly 3 to 4 fireplace evenings or 2 to 3 fire pit sessions. The size to try the wood, or to top up a pile in February.
- Premium Box, 1.33 cu ft, $39.60, free UPS Ground. A one-person carry for an apartment or a house with no room for a pallet.
Pallets come with free lift-gate local delivery, scheduled, across all of New Jersey and Connecticut, the NYC boroughs, Long Island (Nassau and western Suffolk), Westchester, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Baltimore area, with a ZIP checker on each pallet page. Local detail is on the New Jersey, Connecticut, Morris County and Westchester delivery pages.
Ready to order? Kiln-dried, USDA certified, delivered.
1/4 Cord, $4991/2 Cord, $799Mega Bag, $49.50Free local pallet delivery in the zone, free UPS Ground on Boxes and Mega Bags to 11 Northeast states. All sizes and prices
Where to buy firewood in winter if you waited
If it is already January and the local yards are sold out, kiln-dried Boxes and Mega Bags ship free by UPS Ground, and orders placed by noon ET ship the same day: typically 1 to 2 business days to NJ, NY and eastern PA, 2 to 3 to CT and New England. Two or three Mega Bags on one order covers a week of evening fires with no truck to schedule. Pallets in the local zone still deliver in winter, but slots run longer in November and December, so order the bags today and take the first open pallet slot. Heat during an outage is covered on the storm prep page.
FAQ
Is there a firewood shortage in 2026?
Northeast dealers reported real shortages last winter, and the reasons behind them (fewer loggers, retiring suppliers, summer-only cutting and wood that cannot dry once frozen) are long-term trends, not one bad winter, so the safe assumption is that dry wood will be hard to find again in January.
Where can I buy firewood in winter if everyone is sold out?
From a kiln. Kiln-dried wood is USDA-compliant for transport, so it can ship across state lines when local green wood cannot. Our Boxes and Mega Bags go free by UPS Ground to 11 Northeast states, and palletized cords deliver by scheduled lift-gate freight in the local zone.
How much does a cord of firewood cost in January?
Last winter, kiln-dried hardwood in New England was running more than $400 a cord plus delivery in mid-winter, when it could be found at all. Our palletized prices are fixed when you order: 1/4 cord $499 and 1/2 cord $799, with free lift-gate delivery in the local zone. Volumes are on the cord of firewood page.
How long does a quarter cord of firewood last?
A quarter cord is 32 cubic feet, roughly 200 to 250 pieces. For most fireplace users that is a whole winter of weekend fires. A half cord covers a stove that runs most evenings. The how much firewood do I need guide goes deeper.
Sources and references
- New England Public Media, February 3, 2026: report on the Northeast firewood shortage, with dealer interviews and mid-winter prices
- EIA, Today in Energy, December 15, 2025: "Colder winter weather increases our home heating expenditure forecasts"
- electricchoice.com, Electricity Rates by State, September 2026
About the Firewood Flex Team
Written by the Firewood Flex operations team. We kiln-dry to USDA APHIS standard, log moisture content per batch, and ship from our Levittown, PA distribution facility with USDA APHIS phytosanitary-certified hardwood to 11 Northeast states. Founded 2025. USPTO Serial 99591611.
Kiln-dried firewood delivery from our Levittown, PA kiln: New Jersey · New York · Connecticut · Pennsylvania · Delaware · Maryland · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · Rhode Island · Vermont · Washington DC
Pallet delivery areas: Short Hills · Denville · Morristown · Bergen County · Hunterdon County · Princeton · Manhattan · Brooklyn · NYC · Scarsdale · Westchester County · Long Island · Greenwich · Stamford · Hartford · Philadelphia
