I usually burn once a year. I just add to the pile the rest of the year. B.T. (Before Tractor), I would run my chain saw into the pile to cut things up and make a more compact pile. It is amazing how much stuff can be put on the pile if you do this. I found it much easier than making another pile and then adding that stuff to the pile as it burned.
Now W.T. (With Tractor), I just use the bucket or forks and everytime I dump stuff on it I will apply down pressure.
So...my piles are usually rather large, and make for some real roaring flames.
My No. 1 rule is to burn a pile like this only in the rain, or snow. I have burned with light rains and some soakers. The soakers usually have some wind and it keeps the pile burning faster.
My piles burn well, in the rain and are never covered. I do bring stuff -cardboard box, kindling, dry firewood, propane torch, (great for the wind and rain). I make a "hole in the side of the pile and use the materials I brought to build a small fire. Even in the pouring rain, it doesn't take much to get the pile a-flame if you first produce a "seed" fire. Of course you may also introduce the accelerant of you choosing to the mix.
It is sometimes uncomfortable burning in the "weather". Cold, sweaty, wet. However I find the discomfort mimimal when compared to worring about starting the field/woods/buildings on fire.
But...nothing is foolproof! Couple of years ago I burned the pile in an all day downpour. It rained hard, and when I left the pile it was 95% white ash on top and smoldering underneith. It continued to downpour all night. The next day, storm over, came the wind. I gave the ashes a glance in the morning. All well. A couple of hours later I notice some smoke starting to rise. The wind was blowing the fire back into action. I then proceeded to use lots of water and stirring of the ashes, to make sure that thing was out.
Turned out to be quite a day. Neighbor came to tell me that there was a fire in the woodlot adjacent to mine. Sure enough, there's the smoke. We loaded up 80 gals of water and headed out on ATVs. It was the same story as my fire. The night before the fella that owned that lot and a friend burned all manner of wood etc. Some rather large pieces. Again it was pouring rain all night and they even pitched a tent and slept there as well, just to be extra carefull. By the next pm the wind had started that fire up again! Of course the boys went home in the morning thinking that the fire was fine. Not out, but ok. By the PM hours the wind had started that fire up again! Just like my start up again fire, it wasn't really a threat, but it didn't feel right in my head to just leave it alone.
That's two fires dealt with. Enough! Had to pick up my niece at school. On the way home, noticed the neighbor on the other side of me was just starting a brush pile on fire. Went home and it just didn't sit right. I figured I would go over and talk to him. Surely, after I told him my experiences that day he would understand that this wasn't the time to burn. The wind was still blowing hard. It wasn't the neighbor himself. It was a young, sassy, dissrespectful, rude, (need I go on?), young man(?) about 20 years old. The grandson.
You see... he was too delicate to stand in the rain the day before....
He just blew me off. He knew it all, even after I pointed out that the 20 acres of White Pine I planted in 1980 was directly where the wind was blowing the smoke and embers.
I appealed to the grandparents, with whom I have always had a good relationship. Grandmother slammed the door in my face! Grandson was a perfect being.
So...being, just a mite' ticked off
, I went home and called the fire warden. He had given the grandson a fire permit, which was to be used ONLY if the wind died down. The warden called the Grandmother. She hung up on him!
He had to drive the 10 miles to here and make sure the kid put it out. He is also too nice of a guy. I would have tacked on any kind of summons/fines I could have.
Now I have gotten myself all stirred up relating this incident. I'll have to go cut down a tree or som'tin....
