Best way to start burn pile

[BHD]

 

[Bill Gilchrist]

I have about 50 large piles (some are 15 - 20 feet wide by about 10 feet high) of prickly pear cactus that were dozered late last year. They are spread out over three fields. They are pretty wet from all the rain the Hill Country has been having this year. I have tried to burn them using kerosene with little success. Some of the piles also have some cedar trees mixed in the pile and although the cedar is dead and it catches on fire quickly, it's not enough to catch the entire pile of cactus on fire. Could I get some suggestions as to how to get these piles to burn completely? The cactus piles are already growing and sprouting new plants and flowers!

 

[ishiboo]

I have about 50 large piles (some are 15 - 20 feet wide by about 10 feet high) of prickly pear cactus that were dozered late last year. They are spread out over three fields. They are pretty wet from all the rain the Hill Country has been having this year. I have tried to burn them using kerosene with little success. Some of the piles also have some cedar trees mixed in the pile and although the cedar is dead and it catches on fire quickly, it's not enough to catch the entire pile of cactus on fire. Could I get some suggestions as to how to get these piles to burn completely? The cactus piles are already growing and sprouting new plants and flowers!

Wet piles simply won't burn. You need enough dry stuff to start a fire below, then add wet to the top gradually. The heat from the fire below dries the stuff out enough on top it'll burn. It takes a lot of effort. You probably want to wait until it dries.

 

[Cord]

I'm 1,000 miles from being an expert on cactus, but if they're sprouting, then they're too wet to burn. The only hope it get a good fire going with a bed of coals and then feed the cactus into the fire. The fire has to be hot enough to boil the moisture out before the material can be burned.

 

[Bill Gilchrist]

Wet piles simply won't burn. You need enough dry stuff to start a fire below, then add wet to the top gradually. The heat from the fire below dries the stuff out enough on top it'll burn. It takes a lot of effort. You probably want to wait until it dries.

I suspected that might be the case. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Bill Gilchrist]

Yes, I'm reading that in some other literature too. This is shaping up to be a huge project. Thanks for the input.

 

[Creamer]

I am like Cord on the far end of working with cacti but if the bottom of the pile is dry - or somewhat dry - you should be able to dig a hole and put dry combustible material in there to get it started and then as others have said it will dry things out as it burns. If the piles are as big as you say they may still be somewhat dry on the inside although I think digging in could be fun in cacti. I am not exactly sure when these were dug out and piled but if they were piled during dry weather they should burn and cacti will store water but if it was dry when they were dug there should not be too much water in them to burn.

 

[Sysop]

I have no advice that couldn't possibly result in harm to one's self, property, or others, cause mayhem, hysteria, or result in massive financial losses due to fines, jail time, or lawsuits.

Old topic but looks fun. I'll just subscribe to see what others have to say and give the safety police the day off...

 

[Bill Gilchrist]

The piles are big and the cactus was dozered late last year so the piles are 4 months old and very wet (it's been a good winter in the Hill Country, lots of rain and we sure needed it). Guess I'll have to wait on trying to burn them until they dry out.

 

[PILOON]

Environmentalists would cringe but I know a few 'lumberjack' types.

Generally they use 5 or 6 old tires and dirty fuel to ignite the tires.
Once started everything goes up in smoke with only ashes remaining.
When it is all over and done with nobody can tell how it was started.