It may be the middle of August but Wayne Malley is hard at work piling, splitting and selling firewood for the upcoming winter.
Malley started in the firewood business back in the 80's during the first energy crunch and he says business has been booming since then.

"This is my 28th year it's gotten busier every year that I've been in it, this year will surely surpass any year I've ever had. Demand is higher than it's ever been."

Malley says the reason for the big increase in business is simple.

"6 cords would be 1710 dollars, but that's equivalent to almost 4000 dollars worth of fuel oil."

While the wood burners among us may be saving thousands of dollars in fuel prices currently, the price of wood is going up. The reason... what else could it be.... the price of fuel.

"A few years back I used to figure and average of 30 dollars per load in fuel costs and today that number has at least doubled it's at least 60, every time the truck goes down the road it's 60 to 80 dollars in fuel cost to produce that wood and get it to the customer."

Using a wood burning furnace does have some pitfalls, of course where there is fire there's smoke, and some of that smoke can possibly be hazardous to the environment not mention it could annoy your neighbors.
Also wood burners run the risk of a potentially deadly chimney fire.
Despite the risks Malley says he expects wood stoves and of course fire wood sales to continue to increase.
In Hermantown Trevor Roy, The Northlands Newscenter.

Malley says people trying to make the switch to a wood burning furnace should try to have professional help in installing the furnace, and burn dry, hard wood.