Putting out a burn pile. How many gallons of H2O?

[Junkman]

I don't know if they have been extinguished by now, but when the N.J. Turnpike was being built, they buried some fires and they were still burning underground when I left there in 1973. Occasionally, they do come to the surface. I have been told that it is nearly impossible to put out underground fires....

 

[RWB]

Being an ex fire chief I can tell you it all depends on many things. Items burned, condition of the day etc. There are many factors to worry about. Number one is you never leave a fire unattended and two never burn on a windy day. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif After a barn fire it can take days to put out. Ever fire is diffrent. We carry 1000's of gallons in tankers and engines. You are talking a small area and I'm sure you don't need anywhere that much but just beware anything can go wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifTwo to three hundred gallons would be a good start.

Ray /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RWB]

Yeah Junhman,
Up in Schenectady where they use to work on the Steam engines they use to dump the hot coal in a pit and cover it. It lasted way past the steam engines because they dug up that area many years later to build and the coals were still cherry red I'm told.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gifRay

 

[Slamfire]

Re: Putting out a burn pile. How many gallons of

The guy who was in charge of the controlled burn crew the Forest Service had out here last summer, told my wife he prefers burning after snow. The next day, he said, is best. Down here our snow is usually heavy and very wet. I've been using all the slash for kindling in the wood stove.

 

[Currmudgeon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( honestly, 200 gallons dosen't put out much of a fire... fine on a grass fire, but not anywhere there's concentrated heat. )</font>

Remember, he's not trying to knock down a raging fire, but quench the coals. You have a bit more liesure to work when you do that.

As you point out, the concentrated heat makes a big difference, as does the thermal mass of the fire. If you have half a ton of red hot coals, it will take quite a bit of water. Personally, I'd prefer to let them burn down. I'm trying to get rid of volume, so the less leftover charcoal I have, the happier I am.

But using the method of spray and mix, I've quenched fires on the order of 1 cubic yard of hot coals (a small pickup truckload) with something like six Indian pumps, or about 30 gallons. That's quenched to the point where you can inspect the ashes bare handed.

 

[8NTX]

Last year I burned a pretty large pile at our weekend place that had two long, large trees in it, that I should have cut up but didn't. The main pile was about 12-15 ft. long, but the tree trunks extended out another 20 ft. or so and that section didn't burn. Started the pile early one morning - before we left for the weekend I spent about 45 minutes hosing the pile down - good. I thought. Next weekend the trees were completely gone - apparently burned from the inside out, even though I poured lots of water into those trunks.

 

[dmccarty]

Re: Putting out a burn pile. How many gallons of

Currmudgeon,

I have the same water issues. I have not well so I have to bring
the water to the property from the house. If I get a tank I'll lso
have to get a water pump that runs off of 12volts to spray the
H20.

I thinking this is only going t work on small burn piles that have
small diameter wood. Under 3-4 inches. Anything more will
take along time to burn out. I'm also wondering how much
water will be turned into steam....

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

Re: Putting out a burn pile. How many gallons of

8NTX,

I have had similar things happen on large logs and stumps.

For the real large piles with large hunksOWood its going to be a
multiday event for me. Last year I spent well over 24 hours on
one burn pile. The real big ones I won't do until I live on the
property and it will be easier for me and the family to watch.

For these burns 200-300 gallons would only work after the
thing had burned for quite a few days. I have had the wood
continue to burn under the dirt. But the dirt turned out to be
mainly composted sawdust.... The other buried piles have
not continued to burn.

My other thought has been to just have fill dirt trucked in and
I would use it to bury the piles. The problem is that some of
the burns piles are not accessible to dump trucks. Since the
dirt is dollars, much more work, and the water is almost free...

Later,
Dan

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

NFPA 1142 has an entire standard for calculating how much water you need here is a sample....

For a dwelling with the following characteristics: (1) 50 ft by 24 ft; (2) 2 stories of 8 ft each; (3) with a pitched roof, 8 ft from attic floor to ridgepole; and (4) wood frame construction, the following calculations can be done:
50 × 24 = 1200 ft2
Height = 8 + 8 + 4 = 20 ft (For pitched roofs, use half the distance from attic floor to ridgepole.)
1200 × 20 = 24,000 ft3
The occupancy hazard classification number is 7 (see 5.2.5) and the construction classification number is 1.0, for a frame dwelling (see 6.2.6), resulting in the following calculations:
(24,000 /7) × 1.0 = 3429 gal
Minimum water supply equals 3429 gal.

For a farm equipment shed with the following characteristics: (1) 125 ft by 100 ft; (2) height of 14 ft; (3) 1 story; (4) flat roof; and (5) noncombustible construction, the following calculations can be done:
125 × 100 = 12,500 ft2
Height = 14 ft
12,500 × 14 = 175,000 ft3
The occupancy hazard classification number is 5 (see 5.2.3) and the construction classification number is 0.75 (see 6.2.3), resulting in the following calculations:
(175,000 / 5) × 0.75 = 26,250 gal
Minimum water supply equals 26,250 gal.

 

[dmccarty]

Re: Putting out a burn pile. How many gallons of

NY Yankees Fan,

I went to the website but I have to be a member to look at the
standards.....

I'm only trying to put out the coals after the fire has really
burned out. Not trying to put on a structure fire. I really
which I could read what they have to see if there is something
closer to my situation....

I HATE it when one finds a reference to information on the web
and when you get there it costs dollars or even bigger dollars
to get the info you need.....

Its like showing a big present and when you reach out to get
it they yank it back and say pay up first!

Thanks for the info though. I'm off to look at the link you had
about running a sprinkler system in house using s 200 gallon
water tank. I was working an even they other night which had
to have a pump truck on hand to charge a house fire
supression system. The house is being used by the Jaycees as
a haunted house. The house is 125 years old and just got
sold since the land is worth a forture. Luckily for the Jaycees
the owner is going to let the Duke University researchers and
two fire departments burn the house down over a three day
period. They are going to heavily instrument the house and
study fire suppression systems as well as fire behavior. This
was lucky for the Jaycees since the FD is requiring a supression
system in the house...

Its a shame the house has to go but its to expensive to fix
up. It has lead paint and the electrical wiring is not up to
code....

I did get a change to talk to some family member that just
moved out of the house though.

Thanks for the info,
Dan