Rising heating costs bring spike in firewood sales

Shelling out $15 more for a cord of firewood than she did a year ago doesn't bother Martha Edmonds. She figures she'll make it up by burning more wood and using less heating gas.

"It was starting to get chilly, and I wanted to get it stacked before it got really cold," said Ms. Edmonds, who bought two cords from the Shade House in Millersville about a month ago.

She's not alone. Local businesses that sell firewood have seen a sharp rise in sales as residents stock up for a winter expected to be accompanied by a 30 percent hike in home heating bills.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers who paid an average of $646 for...