What type of firewood burns best in an open fireplace during Ottawa's long winters and where can I buy it locally?

The best firewood for an open fireplace in Ottawa during winter is seasoned hardwood with a moisture content between 15 and 20 percent — typically oak, maple, ash, birch, or hickory. These dense hardwoods burn hotter, longer, and with far less creosote buildup than softwoods like pine or spruce. In Ottawa's long, cold winters when you're running your fireplace regularly for supplemental heat and ambiance, hardwood is the practical choice. A cord of seasoned hardwood in the Ottawa area costs $350 to $450 delivered, and you'll want to plan ahead because quality supplies run short by October.

Why Hardwood Matters in Ottawa's Climate

Ottawa's extreme winters mean you're likely burning wood from November through March — a five-month season with regular -20 to -30 degree nights. During that extended burn period, an open fireplace fed with softwood or unseasoned wood becomes a serious creosote factory. Softwoods like pine contain high levels of resin and pitch. When you burn them at the lower temperatures typical of open fireplaces (which operate at 30 to 40 percent efficiency), those resins condense into sticky, flammable creosote that coats your chimney flue. In Ottawa's freeze-thaw climate, a chimney clogged with creosote is a house fire waiting to happen — and the risk escalates dramatically if you're burning low-quality wood all winter long.

Hardwoods burn at higher temperatures and produce significantly less creosote. Oak, hard maple, ash, and birch are all readily available in the Ottawa region and burn with steady, reliable heat output. A single cord of seasoned hardwood produces roughly 24 million BTU compared to 15 to 18 million BTU from softwood or green wood — that's a real difference in warmth on a January night.

Seasoning is equally critical. Wood needs 12 to 18 months of proper air drying to reach the 15 to 20 percent moisture content required for efficient, clean burning. When homeowners buy "green" or freshly cut wood, they're paying for water weight, not fuel. Green wood produces enormous amounts of white smoke, hisses and pops in the fireplace, barely heats the room, and deposits thick layers of wet, sticky creosote that requires aggressive chimney cleaning. In Ottawa's long burning season, burning unseasoned wood is a recipe for a dangerous, inefficient fireplace and a steep chimney cleaning bill.

Where to Buy Firewood in Ottawa

Several reputable local firewood suppliers serve the Ottawa area and deliver seasoned hardwood throughout the fall and early winter:

Local suppliers and options: Many independent tree service companies in Ottawa cut and season their own firewood and deliver cords to residential customers — search "seasoned firewood Ottawa" or "hardwood delivery Ottawa" for current options. Home Depot and Lowe's carry packaged firewood year-round, but these are typically pre-packaged cords from national suppliers with variable quality and higher per-cord pricing ($450 to $550). Your best value comes from local arborists, tree removal companies, and independent firewood dealers who season wood themselves and deliver full cords. Ask for proof that the wood is seasoned — a reputable seller will allow you to check moisture content with a moisture meter or provide documentation showing the wood was cut and stacked at least 12 months prior.

Buy your firewood supply by mid-September, ideally by early fall. By late October and November, prices spike, selection narrows dramatically, and you risk getting wood that was only partially seasoned. A typical household burning an open fireplace 4 to 5 nights per week through winter uses 3 to 4 cords — calculate your needs and place your order early.

When your firewood arrives, stack it off the ground on a non-combustible base (concrete blocks or pallets), cover the top with a tarp or roof to shed rain and snow, but leave the sides open to allow air circulation and continued drying. Store the wood at least 5 metres from your house — this distance reduces the risk of insects migrating into your walls and keeps a solid barrier of space between the fuel and the building envelope in case of sparks or embers.

Critical reminder on chimney maintenance: Even with the best seasoned hardwood, an open fireplace that burns all winter generates creosote deposits. You must have your chimney professionally cleaned and inspected by a WETT-certified chimney sweep before the start of heating season each October, and many Ottawa fireplace owners benefit from a second sweep in mid-winter if they burn heavily. Annual chimney cleaning costs $175 to $350 in Ottawa — a small price for the safety and efficiency of a clean, clear chimney during months when you're relying on the fireplace for warmth and comfort.

If you're ready to source firewood this fall, local suppliers and arborists in the Ottawa Construction Network directory can recommend quality hardwood dealers they work with, and many chimney sweeps also provide referrals to trusted wood suppliers they know deliver properly seasoned product.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects Ottawa homeowners with qualified professionals:

• 613Bins
• RenoMotion Inc.
• Callandgone
• MAK Construction and Development Inc
• Denys Builds Designs Renovations