Green Tree pile that didn't burn !

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

if you can figure a way to shove a piece of pipe into the middle of the pile to make it easier to force air into the stack you'll have better luck getting it to burn.
the other thing that may be giving you problems with your burn is that bulldozer piles usualy have a lot of dirt and sod mixed in, which both holds a lot of moisture, and blocks a lot of the airflow needed to sustain the burn in the middle of the pile.

Like the others, I would avoid using styrofoam to make your own napalm. Even mixing naptha crystals into gasoline is safer than that... (and no, I'm not advocating that, either) Around here a lot of the farmers use old motor oil cut with gasoline, kerosene, or diesel as their accellerant of choice.

truly, your best bet would be to restack the pile, but i'm pretty sure that's not an option for you.

good luck!

 

[studor]

Start at the side/end that the wind is blowing into.
Get a propane roofing torch or weedburner of the highest btu you can find.
Make a hole about two feet into the pile as low as you can.
Forget gasoline (flashes off too fast -- mixed with styrofoam it will burn for a long time but stinks and burns very smokey)
Put dry fuel in the hole loosely and fire it up with the torch
Use the leaf blower as required. Keep pushing fuel into the hottest part of the fire. Keep using the propane torch as required
Be prepared for about a six to eight hour burn.
So far I have been able to burn using this method without tires, fuel oil etc and that includes burning a beaver dam pulled out a week before and a 8 x 45foot pile completely covered in a foot of snow -- I am not a greenie, I just found it to be the most reliable and safest method. Once a good hot fire gets going it will burn even the stuff covered in dirt
Regards

 

[Duffster]

We outfitted a 48" barn fan with a gas moter for just this purpose

That way we could burn a calm days

 

[SCOOBY14B]

Not sure where you are, or how close you live to people.

Here in GA, if you are caught burning tires, plastic, etc....BIG FINES. We were on a fire a year or so ago and GA Dnr came in and arrested the offender and he was fined over $30k by GA EPD. This was for burning less than 10 tires. Of course there was a stream adjacent to the fire.

Burning tires is a HUGE no-no...and would get you in big trouble. Burning ANY of the items you've mentioned is a huge no no and can and will cause health problems to anyone with a breathing disorder (Asthma, COPD) that inhales it.

I'd do something smarter and legal.

 

[bluetc30]

i had the same problem couldnt get the pile of brush to burn no matter how much kerosene or diesel i put on it, come to find out i had more dirt mixed into the pile than brush.

 

[Bedlam]

Not sure if its been touched on but some have used a leaf blower to inject the air stream.
I have found to start out small kindle up, and add the brush to the pile as you go. pretty quickly you can push the stuff onto the pile with the tractor..
Either way green is difficult to get going.

 

[rrmccabe]

I think I am just going to cut into the pile with a chainsaw on the north side so I can get a bunch of dry wood in there. Stack it about six feet high. Then light that on fire and see what happens.

Did have a leave blower going and a couple really nice fires on the edge but it barely burned into the green stuff.

There is some dirt but very little. The loader operator did a good job lifting trees and then dropping them to get dirt off the roots and then lifting them into the pile instead of just pushing. I am sure there is dirt in there but should not be inhibiting the main burn.

So over the next two weeks I will get a hole cut into middle of pile and fill it with dry wood. Doesnt seem to be any accelerants that I really can use.

 

[The Dougster]

Needless to say, you have received plenty of advice against the use of tires, etc... It is my humble opinion that you should heed this advice.... It is also my humble opinion that you should be patient... Green wood simply doesn't burn very well... With the approaching summer, the wood will gradually dry and hopefully by end of summer you will be able to get a good burn.
Since we have been under a burn ban, I have been looking at several burn piles for the past couple of years... finally, over the weekend, I was able to burn them all.... Needless to say, both me and Da warden are happy campers.... Good luck..

 

[rrmccabe]

Well I dont have time on my side. The cleared area that is burn safe is where my house is going to sit

So I think the only method is to get a bunch of dry stuff in the pile !

 

[studor]

I think you are missing out on a key accelerant you can use -- propane. I am sure $20 in propane will start your fire a lot better than $20 in diesel. A weed or roofing torch is about $30 bucks. It will work -- even on the green stuff. Try it -- you'll like it