As winter approaches, some people are turning to cheaper heating sources like firewood as a result of Europe's energy crisis, which is fueled by Russia's slashing of natural gas flows during its war against Ukraine.

There have been shortages and thefts, and scams are surfacing as more people burn wood and stock up. GPS devices are being placed in logs by foresters to track their value, and air pollution and tree cutting have raised environmental fears.

In the former Soviet republic of Moldova, leaders worry that this winter could be devastating for many of its people because of the high cost of electricity and heat, with European natural gas prices roughly triple what they were in early 2021 despite falling from August’s record highs.

Europe’s poorest country, with pro-Western aspirations but part of its territory controlled by Russian troops, has seen Russian energy giant Gazprom slash natural gas supplies by 30% recently and threaten more cuts.

The clamour for firewood is not limited to poorer nations like Moldova but has surged across richer regions of Europe, too. Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic’s state-owned forests are seeing much stronger demand for the limited amounts of firewood they sell as part of their sustainable forest management.

Often it’s coming from people who have never ordered firewood before and seem unaware that it needs to be purchased two years ahead so it can dry out enough to be burned in wood stoves, according to the forest service in southwest Germany’s state of Hesse.

German forest rangers also are seeing more people gathering fallen wood in forests, often not knowing it’s illegal.

Czech state forests, which sell wood only for household consumption, have had to limit the amount of firewood sold to individuals to prevent speculative purchases.

In Poland, demand for small firewood from state forests grew 46% and larger firewood was up 42% through the end of August from a year earlier.

This was even before fall when demand for firewood is highest.

Foresters in the neighbouring Hesse region have been using GPS trackers since 2013 and say they have been able to solve several thefts that way.

Germany’s statistics agency says prices for firewood and wood pellets made from sawdust that can be used in central home heating rose over 85% in August from a year earlier.

Domestically sourced firewood was boosted by pricier imported wood from countries like Latvia and Lithuania. Transport costs, mainly for fuel, have pushed up the price of imports, which used to be cheaper than British wood but are now more expensive.

In Denmark, the demand for wood-burning stoves is growing along with firewood itself. The Danish sales site DBA said searches for wood pellets have exploded by over 1,300% in the past year.

The government and environmentalists have warned Danes planning to burn firewood to consider the risks: fire can be a hazard to health, while smoke contributes to particle pollution.

There is also the damaging environmental impact of chopping down more trees.

Often those cut are young trees. The forests, she said, are being subjected to “vulgar deforestation without any criteria and control.”