Burn Piles for Beginners

[ShenandoahJoe]

I've never needed one before, but with all the downed branches and trees from this winter's snow, I'm looking at a bonfire pretty soon. I'd like some advice. I'm just 100 yards from the volunteer fire department, so I've got backup all arranged.

Things I figured out on my own:

1. far from the house
2. not on the power-line easement
3. well away from the propane tanks

Can I put it on land that'll be planted in six weeks or so?

 

[woodchuckie]

If the fire is hot enough it will sterilize the dirt and nothing will grow in that spot. I never burn mine unless we have had a very good rain the night before or usually I wait till it is raining to burn.

 

[beenthere]

I start a small fire (some dry kindling, and work up with larger pieces), then add limbs and brush from the pile to keep it under my control at all times. And there will be less soil heat that way too, but won't grow anything immediately unless you turn it over (i.e. plow).

Neighbors burned their barn down two weeks ago, when they were doing their annual brush burning. Didn't notice a burning ember drift off about 75 yards to their large dairy barn full of hay. Bad fire day for them.

 

[RonMar]

I prefer to burn in the rain myself. Besides lowering the unintentional fire danger, the rain also helps clean out the smoke IMO. I have 2 schools of thought.

1. Build a monster pile and set it on fire. This has a litle less physical work, but once it is lit, you don't have any real control of how it burns. I have had piles literally explode and heat damage nearby trees that I thought were plenty far away from how large I THOUGHT the fire would get. The last one I had do that had a pretty impressive 40' colum of flame. I inherited several massive piles on my property when I bought it. Some burnt well, and some were a twisted mass of large wood that had too much spacing to get to burn. Those I had to rip up and cut up with chainsaw and front end loader to get compact enough to dry out and burn. A large pile can also have problems with getting enough O2 and not combust completely(lots of smoke).

2. Pull from a stack/pile and insert into the burning pile as needed. This allows you to control the fuel the fire has access to. That means, that you can shut down this operation when ever you feel the need to, like it is getting dark and your monster pile is still cooking away and will require you to tend it till sometime past midnight. Leaving a fire unattended can net you a pretty big fine in most areas... It is nice to be able to shut it down when YOU want to. This method also allows you to place the fuel where it will burn the hottest and combust the cleanest.

I prefer method 2. And in almost all cases, it has proven to ultimately be faster and less hassle. Another thing that usually messes people up is the lack of oxygen and never really getting a good hot core fire. Flooding your neighborhood with smoke can make you really unpopular really fast, and is probably the biggest complaint about people burning. A good hot fire will have almost no smoke. I almost always use a blower now when I burn. It dosn't take much air to turn a smokey fire into a foaring blastfurnace with almost no smoke. It also burns a lot faster with added O2. The blower I use is not very large, in fact it is pretty tiny. It consists of a 12VDC 4" box fan from radio shack, a 12V 7AH gell cell battery salvaged from an old UPS, and a 3' length of 4" metal duct pipe. The blower/fan is attached to the end of the pipe with 4 little pieces of angle attached to the duct and blower mount holes with small nuts and bolts. The fully charged gellcell will run this thing for 24+ hours. The pipe is placed in near the center of the fire and blows a steady stream of fresh air into the middle of the fire. This makes a blast furnace effect that pushes the fuel quickly above the gas point with little smoke.

Good luck

 

[RobertN]

Depends on your area. You may need a permit, and may only be able to burn on particular days.

Out here, I need a permit(no big deal, easy to get at the fire station, and good for a few years). Before I burn, I have to call the "Burn" number to see if it is a permissive burn day.

The other thing is, we can only burn yard debri(ie leaves, branches, yard trimmings). And the pile is not suppossed to be bigger than 4' high and 4' across.

As Woodchuckie mentioned, a good fire will leave a streile spot on the ground for a while.

 

[Bert Bitter]

Wait until the winter solstice. December 21st, check the local exact time.

Get a bunch of friends together, light the pile and celebrate the earth's swing around the sun. I do this every year and invite friends if the solstice time is at a reasonable time of day.

Two years ago it was at 6:04 AM, 30 below with the wind chill and I'll be damned if 27 people didn't showed up.

I know it's goofy but it was fun and a bit spiritual.

Regards
Bert

 

[hitekcountry]

My preference was to wait for a light rain and then set the pile on fire. Don't use gasoline as a fire starter, I've done it, won't do it again. I use a road flare, always worked good for me.

 

[ragkar]

There was a thread a while back on the best way to start the wood burning. The consensus, and my recommendation, is a propane weedburner. You can get it cheap at HF.

 

[BruceWard]

In my experience it is much easier to start a small fire and add to it than to try to get a big pile to burn. Start a fire with newspaper and sticks. Then build it up. I have used my tractor to unstack burn piles that would not burn and build a fire as it wa burning.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Don't do this. I used my brand spanking new Kubota to push trees and branches into a HUGE fire pile when I got too far in and the fire started roaring then I stalled it.

I had seconds to decide - try and start it of jump I only had time for one or the other.

I loved my tractor so I hit the key and flew out of the pile burning towards me.

 

[California]

I learned something from a neighbor: He starts his burn pile by igniting newspaper inside a cardboard box, about a cubic foot size, that was saturated with a half cup of diesel. The box is as far under the pile as possible.

This is immune to drafts in the first few moments, unlike a fire started under twigs.

By the time the fire burns through the box it is a great torch that ignites everything near it as it continues to burn.

 

[Ken45101]

It may be too late/too early. I'm not sure, but I think Ohio prohibits such burning March through June.

A lot of people make a mistake in spring. The ground is wet, but old weeds and vegetation are dried out and field fires take off fast! I used to be on a rural fire department and this was our busiest time. I remember one Sunday with 7 field fire runs Ground was too wet to bring the trucks in but the weeds were plenty dry.

If there is dried grass or weeds within 200', I would say do not burn it unless it is raining.

Keep some brooms or shovels handy to beat out any fire spread. Or better yet, a garden hose if you can reach the area and well beyond (borrow hose if you need to). Use the hose to keep the main fire under control and to stop any hotspots that spread.

Don't do it on a breezy day!

Ken

 

[Egon]

Wait until the winter solstice. December 21st, check the local exact time.

Did you notice any black cars in the neighborhood?:laughing:

 

[eepete]

The Fire Department can tell you all the local rules (permits, days you can burn, when you can light the fire, any other restrictions). I burn when there is a light rain or we've had a light snow, sometimes have to wait a few months. The wait is OK, too many people try to burn when the pile is green. If you can't wait, don't burn if the relative humidity is under 40%. It will take the area under the pile a few seasons to get back to normal, mixing in some dirt from around the pile area 2 weeks or so later can help. Be sure there is a nice clear area (minimum 10-15 feet) around the pile. Trees should be 30' or more away so that they don't get damaged. This is another good reason to burn in the rain or drizzle and in no to low winds.

For starting, I find an area in the pile where the brush is dense. I pour used hydraulic fluid over the area, usually about half a gallon to a gallon. Watch it carefully to be sure it's not going on the ground too much. I go for about a 3' x 3' area. Most places require you to use a "clean" fuel such a diesel (i.e. used engine oil is not permitted). I like the hydraulic fluid because it soaks into the wood better than diesel. If you don't have hydraulic fluid than use diesel, and the next time you change your fluid your tractor, save two gallons. I do this pour the night before, then cover the area with a tarp. The day of the burn, I pour on another half gallon, put some news paper in there. Remove the tarp and light it. You might have to sling a few more cups in there, but usually if the wood is dry enough it has absorbed enough oil that it will burn just fine. The smaller area you have set on fire will then spread to the rest of the pile.

A leaf blower can help spread the fire in a specific direction. I'd have a few drywall buckets about half full available just in case. If you can get a hose to it, do it. Have a shovel and a rake too. If the pile is loosely packed, have a chain saw ready. The chain you use will become your "dirty" chain because cutting the charred wood is hard on the chain. I've used my loader to push a pile that's on fire together, but my rule is that the front tires never go on ground that has had burning fire on it. Most of the time it is for pushing in those handful of big pieces that were sticking out of the fire.

Be prepared to be there all day, and maybe into the night. If you've got debris around the place you've always wanted to clean up, while you're hanging around go get it and toss it in. Makes the day more productive and less boring. Tell adjacent land owners what you are up to. You'll need to check the area every day for a couple of days. You can probably push the ashes together with your FEL at 24 hours after the burn (and maybee even the next day too) so that any big chunks can burn down. Don't drive into the middle of it, just push the sides in by about 2-3' per day. It will take a week for everything to be truly out, so if weather changes you might put water on the pile and then spread the area out. Just think about the size of the pile, what's in there, the weather conditions, and the like. The more piles you burn the better your "common sense" will be. If you're unsure, start with a small 6' diameter pile.

Burning in the woods over an area you've just cleared is very tricky. If at all possible, burn in an established open area. The goal here is to not set roots on fire that can can cause problems 10 days later.

And do NOT use a tire to start a fire! Just about everywhere it's illegal, every time it's happened here there is a fine and you are labeled an idiot for life.

All the usual disclaimers, follow local laws, and did I mention to talk to your local fire department first :thumbsup:.

Pete

 

[Toyboy]

If you have a pressure weed sprayer or two, fill them w/water and use for fire spreading into grass. You can keep a couple buckets w/water for refill or major control. If you keep the fire reasonable and rake all the grass/leaves into the pile before starting, it helps a lot on the wandering of the edges.

 

[Mike058]

I've never needed one before, but with all the downed branches and trees from this winter's snow, I'm looking at a bonfire pretty soon. I'd like some advice. I'm just 100 yards from the volunteer fire department, so I've got backup all arranged.

Things I figured out on my own:

1. far from the house
2. not on the power-line easement
3. well away from the propane tanks

Can I put it on land that'll be planted in six weeks or so?

It sounds like you already talked to the fire department about necessary permits and rules.

I had some space cleared out. There was lots of underbrush and a lot of full size cedar and other species of trees. It made for one heck of a big pile-probably bigger than what you're looking at. But here's some things I noticed from our experience.

Six weeks isn't long enough to start growing-Things didn't start growing around our burn spot for a year and a half, and that was after I had a bulldozer in to level the surrounding area.

I had two different people burn two different times. The more effective of the two used a five gallon bucket of diesel and sloshed it into the base of the pile-the other one filled the excavator bucket and dropped the diesel onto the top of the pile(both before it started, just so there's no confusion). They both used a high velocity fan to blow air into the stack (the fan was a requirement if you were burning a large pile). But the county has since banned outdoor burning of any pile larger than 3' diameter.

Keep a couple of buckets of water around, a shovel and the hose. Watch out for "smokies". Put them out asap.

 

[SPIKER]

When I burn first off I make sure to take the brush hog out around the area to knock down any standing weeds. always burn in open areas too. Most of the time I will use on old weed sprayer with some diesel fuel & oil mix, and old boxes paper. cover paper & boxes with small twigs/branches spray the fuel mix onto the boxes & branches. requires very little fuel maybe a quart is all none goes down onto the dirt. dont spray into lit fire as it will be a blow torch like napalm... I keep tractor with box blade and FEL ready when burning. sometime I'll use the forks on back and back up next to the pile & drop off more sticks. turn and push them into the fire feeding a smaller fire is easier than being nervous about a BIG fire. Once the fire is burning good and or starting to burn down and someone watching it I take tractor & Forks for more loads of brush... Dont get too close to fire with tractor though. I keep the front wheels out of fire ring edge... I also dont get close until fire is level or dieing back some...
Weed Burner is my 2nd method of starting fire, actually lately it has been primary way to start fire... no smoke from unburned fuel or chances of someone complaining due to the black diesel fuel startup...

I havent burnt in a couple years but have several smaller piles ready for when I get a chance... When cutting dead fall in woods I always stack the brush so the forks can easly pick it up and move it later...

Others have covered the pretty obvious things such as have help keep shovels rakes ect handy. dont burn when real dry or windy...

Mark M

 

[Stampeder]

I've burned a ton of logs, branches, weeds, etc. When I got the place there were six different piles of the above. I am now down to one.
My technique is very simple and I get a very complete burn on even large pine logs.
First I push it all into a big pile. Mine usually wind up about 8 feet tall.
Next I get my disc out and I thoroughly disk about a 10 foot fire break around the perimeter of the base.
Check the wind direction an make sure that the wind is blowing in a favourable direction, ie away from buildings, animals, neighbours, etc.
Take a five gallon jerry can of diesel and thoroughly soak the pile.
Light you weed burning torch and go around the base of the pile, standing back. My propane torch has a 12 hose on it so I ensure the tank is well away.
Always light your fire on the down wind side, it will start burning slowly and then you can move to the upwind side.
I use the above technique when I burn my fields to rid them of weeds.
Diesel does not burn as fast a gasoline so it is safer to use and as a result you get a more complete burn. I also like the idea of mixing hydraulic fluid with it to start the fire as well.
Check your local by laws regarding burn permits.
Above all be very careful. I claim the usual disclaimers here about the use of this information at your own risk.

Good luck.
Glenn.

 

[dave1949]

If the wood is green, you need to get a concentrated hot bed of coals going to make it burn. Kiln dried lumber scraps will work for that and they ignite easily. Most brush piles of green wood have too much air space in them to burn well. After the accelerant is burned up, there is a pile of charred branches that just aren't going to burn. Feeding that sort of brush to a small hot fire works better. Once there is a good bed of coals, you can burn just about anything, wet stumps, punky wood, etc.

If you are burning brush that is well dried, like others said, it's easy to get a very high, hot and roaring flame coming out of the pile, so don't under-estimate that danger. Once you get a fire like that going, a garden hose running full stream will hardly make a difference - ask me how I know Rainy weather is best for dry piles.

I try to plan ahead. Get some drinks, hotdogs to roast, lawn chair ready, etc. We aren't allowed to leave a permitted fire unattended here.

Cardboard thrown on a burning fire produces some of the largest burning embers floating through the air. I avoid doing that.
Dave.

 

[California]

Newspaper, too. At a campsite I've seen each page drift off the fire separately ... and lodge in the pine trees, still glowing.


One point I haven't seen yet:

When you need a long-burning hot spot to set something like dirty wet stumps upon, two large logs laid parallel will each radiate heat at the other and keep burning, where either log would go out if they were separate.