Best way to start burn pile

[JustGary]

Nobody mentioned good ol' kerosene yet. It works wonders, even on wet wood. Diesel is similar, but you want to save that for your tractor... Charcoal starter works also.

I don't believe that accelerants like used oil and heavy fuels are not environmentally friendly, as long as you put them on the pile to be burned just before lighting it, and not just let them soak into the ground for a week before you light it. If it burns off, you did it right.

But, as already stated, do not under any circumstances use gasoline!

Regards,

- Just Gary

 

[PILOON]

Forestry workers always use old tires coaxed to start with some fuel.

Maybe an environmental no-no but it works and I guess what's 3-4 tires compared to the huge pile of brush that they are burning.

 

[KML]

Haven't found a pile that two 30 minute road flares won't get going.. Just light them, throw them in the pile, and give it some time. No working the pile or worry about something blowing up. With the price of diesel these days they're a real bargain

 

[JHTFarmer]

First, make sure the pile is dry. leaves are brown, limbs, logs dried out properly.
Pile isn't wet from recent rain, etc... (goes without saying)

Then all you need is a sprinkle of diesel. ignite it with a trigger start propane torch that can be picked up at any hardware store. (much safer than gasoline and match)

 

[khamill2000]

A buddy and I were having a discussion about burn piles and I asked him if it was legal to burn tires. His reply..... "Not if you do it at night."

 

[ampsucker]

i use old motor oil, too. i actually do like the pile to be damp. it slows the burn and the hot embers and if the surrounding forest is damp with wet leaves virtually eliminates the chance of catching anything else on fire.

i also burn the pile starting from the downwind side so the fire has to work to get into the meat of the pile instead of being fanned into the pile by any breeze. of couse, the wind has been known to change direction.

and, we do have some pretty big brush piles and they do get very dry and brittle in between burns. best is when the heat from the pile starts cycloning into a big swirl of hot gas and burning embers and looks like a mini tornado of fire spiraling up in the sky bwaahaahaaa....

but, i digress.

so what's the big difference between burning five gallons of used motor oil and a tire, anyway? i know one is a no-no, and one is not. as my dad used to say, the federal, state and local road depts spread millions of tons of oil on the roads every year. but the average home owner can't dispose of a few mosquito breeding old tires without hauling them to the tire shop and paying 4 bucks a piece to get rid of them?

funny thing about black smoke - you can't see it at night.....

amp

 

[joes_427_vette]

Get the flame started with dry scrap wood and a dash of lighter fluid. Then insert the leaf blower to add oxygen. The flames take off instantly and really burn great. A friend told me about this and when I tried it I couldn't believe the results.
Can't understand why they call it a leaf blower. Haven't used it for this in the past 2 years I have owned it !

 

[Matt_Jr]

In many places used motor oil is illegal. But only if someone's watching. However new motor oil is ok. I like used myself. Mixed with a little diesel and just a dash of 87 octane. Starts very quick. In my fireplace or wood stove a piece of pine stump aka fat wood works. It'll work on a brush pile too but takes a little while.

 

[schmism]

dry sticks on the bottom, paper, cardboard and if i need the backpack blower.

ive heard.... when trying to light wet, green frozen sticks, in the middle of winter, a gallon of diesel and an old tire will set any pile of green wet frozen, sticks on fire. er so ive heard

 

[Casey1]

Not too many boy scouts around here. lol Once the pile has started somewhat (whether it be with matches or a flamethrower) I find that the leaf blower works great even on a damp pile.