help a city girl burn brush!

[powerstroke444e]

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The only logical solution for the mad brush burners is the "DRIP TORCH" and it has been used for years by the United Sates Forest Service with great success and control for back fires.

The drip torch uses diesel fuel or K-1 kerosene, the drip torch has a flame stop loop which prevents fire from entering the drip torch when in use as it uses a fibreglass wick.


A drip torch is very safe way to light a brush pile as the amount of fuel available is limited by the wick and the flame proof loop which prevents fire getting into the reservoir of the drip torch making it very safe to use.

:thumbsup:
I have used drip torches for years on large and small burns. On brush piles I like using a bale of straw and leaf blower or a couple of furnace fans. I have one large 3foot furance fan that I can run off a generator. On a nice calm day or slight breeze under 10mph with no other in forcast it will amaze you what you can burn.
I burned this pile which was a huge tree with very little smoke and about 1/2 gal of diesel 2 leaves of straw and lots of leaf blower time to keep it hot and direct the fire.

 

[Transit]

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I need everyones help!
I am a Registered Nurse and I work in the Burn ICU. Over the past four years our number of burns that have been throwing gas on brush piles is astounding. Unforunately the majority of these burns spend 3-4 months in our ICU (and leave with a bill of over $1 million dollars IF they survive and I place a HUGE emphasis on IF...because they typically do not!)

We are initiating a campaign to educate especially farmers on safe burning practices. Here is the problem: I am a city girl! I have never burned a brush pile in my life! We know this is something that has to be done we just want it to be done safely. So here are a few questions:

1. How do you safely burn a brush pile?
2. Do any communites have alternatives to disposing of brush piles besides burning?
3. I just read about people using leaf blowers? Some how this does not seem like a safe practice!
4. Are there tools made to safely burn a bursh pile? i.e. long non-flammable sticks to lite a fire?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. This is a HUGE problem and you would be assisting me in saving many lives each year!

We don't know the size of the pile and what is around it. How often will you be doing this? I like the idea of using an outside chipping contractor. How about him doing the chipping at your site and then you will have the chips to use as a mulch around the place?

1] don't even think about it.

2] check with your local fire Dept.

3] read # 1

4] read # 1

 

[studor]

+1 on the propane torch -- no accelerant necessary. The idea of using gas to start a fire is definitely Darwin award territory.If you build the pile right with dry stuff on the bottom in the centre it does not take long for a weedburner or roofing torch to light it up:thumbsup:

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I use road flares also. A few of those aimed in to some dried up twigs and kindling. Once you get a decent flame use a leaf blower with a long enough tube to feed air into the heart of the pile.
You have seen enough tragic burns and I applaud you for your being able to help those burn victims.:thumbsup:

 

[Transit]

Sorry to say but I think dahlsteinm is a bit over her head on this. Better to be safe and have the job done without burning down half the county. I don't do nursing if she doesn't due computer networks.

 

[locknut]

When I was a kid the only thing we used to burn brush piles was gas and old used tires.No diesel fuel because everything we had ran on gas.Won't post the technique as I might get"flamed" on this board

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Just like locknut, I grew up using gasoline for everything from a solvent to to a fire starter.

Then one quiet foggy morning when the ground was nice and wet, I poured gasoline on a brush pile to get it started. Walked back about six or eight feet to strike a match and BOOM. The whole world was on fire before I had a chance to throw the match on the pile.

I didn't think about the fact that the fumes just hung in the air and spread out. ****, it even set the gas can on fire and it was further away from the pile than I was.

Now you might think that burns were my biggest health risk. Nope, not the case. Biggest risk was my wife finding out what happened. That would be life-threatening. From then on, I use kindling like they teach in the Boy Scouts.

Oh, and did I mention I was alone so there was nobody to help. [Now there is some life insurance underwriter reading this and thinking we got to figure out who this guy is and cancel his life insurance.]

 

[tcartwri]

Sorry to say but I think dahlsteinm is a bit over her head on this. Better to be safe and have the job done without burning down half the county. I don't do nursing if she doesn't due computer networks.

Transit, she is just trying to understand the mechanism of how all these people are getting injured. She is not burning anything.

 

[SandburRanch]

Over the past four years our number of burns that have been throwing gas on brush piles is astounding.

We are initiating a campaign to educate especially farmers on safe burning practices.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the OP information, to gain knowledge by watching a farmer would be a poor choice. They seem to be the main problem or it could be anyone living in a rural area, where burning is legal, is considered a farmer by the OP.

Also according to the original post the main problem seems to be the accelerant being used and not the ignition source.

Some may have missed some valuable information in the gasoline video provided but I didn't because I was watching for this information long before (it was easy) the video end and the info. was at the very end. Did you catch that part?

I'm sorry to say that educating people in the dangers of starting fires with gasoline is an up hill battle as there will always be someone that's smarter than the average and believes he can do it safely. But like the original poster we must try.

 

[riptides]

I burn a lot.

I don't use accelerants, I use a nice box of old twigs, tiny chips of wood and pine cones. I usually set the box on the middle of the brush pile. I use my tractor to close up the pile around it.

I call the local fire department to let them know I am burning.

I have water handy.

I have the equipment nearby.

I have a multiple buddy system.

I usually burn after a rain.

I make sure the pile has a nice creep area around it, so I cut the brush beforehand.

I have marshmallows, chocolate and gramm crackers available.

I don't use the blower.

Sometimes beer is available. Sometime potatoes and corn are available.