Kemi cuts firewood use in half with vending machine

The city of Kemi has halved firewood consumption at its public campfire sites after installing a vending machine that dispenses kindling, Yle reports.

Introduced last autumn at the Mansikkanokka site, the machine has also reduced maintenance workloads, as staff no longer need to restock wood as frequently. Previously, large deliveries would disappear within hours.

“Wood use has at least halved,” said Pekka Haapaniemi, the city’s maintenance supervisor. “The biggest saving is that we don’t have to visit the sites as often.”

The machine, which resembles a parcel locker, sells a wheelbarrow-load of firewood via a mobile app. It has proven more popular than expected, with around 140 transactions and five cubic metres sold over the winter. A second machine is planned for the Kiikeli recreational area by the Bothnian Bay.

To prevent use during wildfire warnings, the machine’s hatches remain locked when open fires are banned.

The model has drawn interest nationwide. Metsähallitus, the state forest agency, is considering similar machines for its own fire sites after observing Kemin’s success. Jarmo Asell, the agency’s service implementation manager, noted persistent theft of firewood at some locations, particularly near parking areas.

“It was impressive,” Asell said of Kemi’s machine. “We’ve been exploring options with suppliers.”

However, remote locations pose logistical challenges. A single machine holds only two to three cubic metres, while some sites consume 30–40 cubic metres annually. Frequent refills would increase costs, Asell said, adding that ideal placement would be near accessible roads and existing maintenance routes.

The Finnish Hiking Association supports the concept. Chair Hannele Pöllä called a small fee reasonable, given the pre-split wood, though she acknowledged some hikers enjoy the “nature therapy” of chopping their own.