WILSON – There is now a shortage of wood pellet fuel as people look for alternatives to heat their homes.

Chad LaFave of Wilson heats his business with pellets and sells it to other homeowners. He said people are leaving their homes because they can’t get enough fuel to keep their furnaces operating.

“I’ve been getting calls from people and they are like begging for pellets but there is nothing I can do,” LaFave said. “There are people actually telling me they have to move out of their house because they cannot afford propane and the pellet demand is so high that they cannot get the pellets.”

Wood pellet fuel is a byproduct of sawmills.

LaFave said he has called 25 companies in five states to try and find pellets. He normally services about 20 to 25 people but over the past weekend received calls from more than 30 people looking for fuel.

“I received over thirty and there 10 to 15 people that basically told me they have to move out of their houses becasue they don’t have a heating source,” said LaFave.

LaFave said next year he plans to pre-sell to insure that there will be enough pellets for the winter.