Firewood in short supply in Tulsa, prices rising

A lot fewer trees blew down this past Spring in Green Country thanks to a quiet year for storms, but that means there'll be a lot less firewood available this winter.

Todd Rickert of Rickert Landscaping and Tree Service also owns and operates an associated business, Owasso Firewood.

"When we cut down a tree for somebody, as much as reasonable, we try to recycle that tree for firewood," he told KRMG.

He only sells the hard woods; for example, he won't sell cottonwood or willow for firewood.

But this past Spring, he only worked on two trees that came down because of storms, so his supply heading into the winter is low.

To compound the problem, early sales are already brisk this Fall.

"This last weekend was crazy with people coming in, stocking up," he said.

He added that he's raised his prices by a few dollars a rick.

He's also been approached by several sod farms, who also tend to deal in firewood, and wanted him to sell them a supply.

But he says selling it at a retail price makes a lot more sense for his business.