I just burned several piles of green tree limbs and brush this weekend. What I found is you have to start off small. Get a good small fire going and then add too it. When I built a big pile and tried to lite it it kept fizzling out. Once I had a hot pile of coals I could come back as much as 2 days later and just add more brush and it would flare back up.
Starting a fire
- Thread starter Gary_in_Indiana
- Start date
- Views: 2506
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Gary,
Two weeks back I burned my first really big pile. It was
roughly 20 feet by 30 feet by 8 feet tall. We finally had a
couple of weeks of rain with more forcast a few days after
I would have been done burning. No wind was in the forecast.
To shorten this, a bit I was three hours late starting the fire.
I had problems with the lock on my gate, my brush cutter
failed to start, and the battery on the tractor was DOA.
/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif That was three strikes so I almost went home!
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But I stayed.
This pile was mainly dead stuff with some green. It was from
twigs to big 36+ stumps. It was also packed togather real
tight and wet. I have gallons of old engine oil, the truck uses
15 quarts an oild change, so I use it to start the brush
fire. I put old newspapers all over the place and then pour
the the oil all over the wood. I try like heck to not get it on
the ground. I ended up used close 9 gallons of oil. I like the
oil since it sticks to the wood. If I have old gas I might mix
the gas and oil. But using gas is REAL dangerous.
Anyway I got the fire started ok but I had to dig through the
pile to feed the fire and help it spread. And this was hand
digging. The fire was not going enough to use the tractor.
After about 4 fours the fire was still only in 20% of the pile so
I knew I would be sleeping over on the property. The tractor
battery was partly dead due to cold weather so I really did not
want to spend the night but I had to watch the fire. Around
1900-2000 hours I was finally able to pushe the fire with the
FEL. But that was a good 10 hours after I had started.
By sunrise, 20 hours or so after starting the fire was burned
down to a good pile of coals with 5-6 big stumps still hanging
on. I brought over 10+ FEL loads and buried the burn. It was
still smoking but it was buried in a pile a good 6-7 feet tall. I
went home.
It rained pretty much all the next week after the burn and
on the next Saturday. Last Saturday I went out to work.
Did not do a danged thing but yak with the neighbors, but
I went to work! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
We had had a good 2-3 inches of rain since I had buried the
fire. THAT DANGED THING WAS STILL SMOULDERING!!!!!! I
pulled up my driveway and that son of a gun was still smoking!
The pile was 6-7 feet tall when I had left with 5-6 stumps
buried. It was now about 3 feet tall and only two stumps
where left! I was floored! There was no way for the fire to
spread and it was not sending up embers but that thing had
cooked on the inside for two weeks!!!!!
I also put gas on this fire. I knew it was dangerous. I KNOW
why it was dangerous and I did it anyway to see what would
happen. Well I REALLY KNOW what will happen at this point!
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Dont use gas. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I was very careful. I thought
about what to do and the dangers. I'll NEVER do it again.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif After the load explosion, the fireball, and fire, not a
thing was accomplished in regards to starting a fire in the
burn pile. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I did need a new pair of Fruit of the Looms
and my ticker was a rac'n but never again! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
This is a long way of saying use old oil or diesel. Maybe kero
but that is more expensive. DONT EVEN THINK about gas.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Be prepared for a long day/night/morning. A big
pile is HOT. I had to wear long pants/shirts/gloves and my
logging helment to stay near the fire for more than a few
seconds....
BE careful. I had a pile that was small brush up to 2-3 inches
in diameter and about 12 feet by 20 feet by 10 feet burn one
day. The forecast said no wind. Well the wind kicked up
real bad. White caps on the lake. That is very scary with
a fire this size......
Good Luck,
Dan NeverUseGasAgain McCarty
Two weeks back I burned my first really big pile. It was
roughly 20 feet by 30 feet by 8 feet tall. We finally had a
couple of weeks of rain with more forcast a few days after
I would have been done burning. No wind was in the forecast.
To shorten this, a bit I was three hours late starting the fire.
I had problems with the lock on my gate, my brush cutter
failed to start, and the battery on the tractor was DOA.
/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif That was three strikes so I almost went home!
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But I stayed.
This pile was mainly dead stuff with some green. It was from
twigs to big 36+ stumps. It was also packed togather real
tight and wet. I have gallons of old engine oil, the truck uses
15 quarts an oild change, so I use it to start the brush
fire. I put old newspapers all over the place and then pour
the the oil all over the wood. I try like heck to not get it on
the ground. I ended up used close 9 gallons of oil. I like the
oil since it sticks to the wood. If I have old gas I might mix
the gas and oil. But using gas is REAL dangerous.
Anyway I got the fire started ok but I had to dig through the
pile to feed the fire and help it spread. And this was hand
digging. The fire was not going enough to use the tractor.
After about 4 fours the fire was still only in 20% of the pile so
I knew I would be sleeping over on the property. The tractor
battery was partly dead due to cold weather so I really did not
want to spend the night but I had to watch the fire. Around
1900-2000 hours I was finally able to pushe the fire with the
FEL. But that was a good 10 hours after I had started.
By sunrise, 20 hours or so after starting the fire was burned
down to a good pile of coals with 5-6 big stumps still hanging
on. I brought over 10+ FEL loads and buried the burn. It was
still smoking but it was buried in a pile a good 6-7 feet tall. I
went home.
It rained pretty much all the next week after the burn and
on the next Saturday. Last Saturday I went out to work.
Did not do a danged thing but yak with the neighbors, but
I went to work! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
We had had a good 2-3 inches of rain since I had buried the
fire. THAT DANGED THING WAS STILL SMOULDERING!!!!!! I
pulled up my driveway and that son of a gun was still smoking!
The pile was 6-7 feet tall when I had left with 5-6 stumps
buried. It was now about 3 feet tall and only two stumps
where left! I was floored! There was no way for the fire to
spread and it was not sending up embers but that thing had
cooked on the inside for two weeks!!!!!
I also put gas on this fire. I knew it was dangerous. I KNOW
why it was dangerous and I did it anyway to see what would
happen. Well I REALLY KNOW what will happen at this point!
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Dont use gas. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I was very careful. I thought
about what to do and the dangers. I'll NEVER do it again.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif After the load explosion, the fireball, and fire, not a
thing was accomplished in regards to starting a fire in the
burn pile. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I did need a new pair of Fruit of the Looms
and my ticker was a rac'n but never again! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
This is a long way of saying use old oil or diesel. Maybe kero
but that is more expensive. DONT EVEN THINK about gas.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Be prepared for a long day/night/morning. A big
pile is HOT. I had to wear long pants/shirts/gloves and my
logging helment to stay near the fire for more than a few
seconds....
BE careful. I had a pile that was small brush up to 2-3 inches
in diameter and about 12 feet by 20 feet by 10 feet burn one
day. The forecast said no wind. Well the wind kicked up
real bad. White caps on the lake. That is very scary with
a fire this size......
Good Luck,
Dan NeverUseGasAgain McCarty
OP
Gary_in_Indiana
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2002
- Messages
- 3,373
- Location
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Tractor
- John Deere 4200 MFWD HST w/ JD 420 FEL w/ 61" loader bucket & toothbar & JD 37 BH w/ 12" bucket
Dan,
Great story and I love the new signature. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I just got off the telephone with the fire authority nearest me and got the lowdown on what's required (nothing) and what's recommended (tractor with FEL & an advance phone call to them to save them a run if someone calls).
I found out a couple interesting things during the call. One was that I'm right on the borderline between two different fire authorities, which means I'm going to be a long run for either. Actually, my West property line is 425' from the border but my driveway is almost 1,000' closer so I'm guessing that might make a 90 second difference in response time. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
The authority I called actually offered to bring a pump truck out for me to have on hand since I don't have any water on site. No charge, no paperwork...just call and they'll come out with the pump truck if I'd like them to. I wonder if they'll let me play with the siren, too. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Great story and I love the new signature. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I just got off the telephone with the fire authority nearest me and got the lowdown on what's required (nothing) and what's recommended (tractor with FEL & an advance phone call to them to save them a run if someone calls).
I found out a couple interesting things during the call. One was that I'm right on the borderline between two different fire authorities, which means I'm going to be a long run for either. Actually, my West property line is 425' from the border but my driveway is almost 1,000' closer so I'm guessing that might make a 90 second difference in response time. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
The authority I called actually offered to bring a pump truck out for me to have on hand since I don't have any water on site. No charge, no paperwork...just call and they'll come out with the pump truck if I'd like them to. I wonder if they'll let me play with the siren, too. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
gerard
Veteran Member
I think diesel is the cheapest and safest way to do it. I usually throw a road flare where I want to start it, then pour on diesel using a watering can. No flare up, very safe but catches very easily. If I have old motor oil I'll pour that on after the fires going. Burns well and again, no flare up.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Gary,
You kinda just rang my bell... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I have heard before that some fire departments will come out
and either sit with you or put out the fire.... Because of
my last burn I was going to get a couple of loads of fill dirt
delivered and use that to bury the burn pile. But if I can get
the local department to come out in the morning to douse it
for me that maybe a better plan. I don't have any water on
the property so this might work out much better. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Thanks for ringing my bell.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Dan McCarty
You kinda just rang my bell... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I have heard before that some fire departments will come out
and either sit with you or put out the fire.... Because of
my last burn I was going to get a couple of loads of fill dirt
delivered and use that to bury the burn pile. But if I can get
the local department to come out in the morning to douse it
for me that maybe a better plan. I don't have any water on
the property so this might work out much better. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Thanks for ringing my bell.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Dan McCarty
unaka
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2001
- Messages
- 90
- Location
- Murphy, NC
- Tractor
- Massey-Ferguson 243, 2002 Model, 4wd, FEL
Another thing you can do to make sure your pile burns thoroughly is to stack the timbers parallel with each other, as opposed to haphazard crisscrossing, and start your fire low to the ground and on opposite sides.
I do burn piles quite often, and in my experience, they burn much better that way.
Another trick if your felling timber and need to burn the branches is to limb the tree where it lays, and then use your FEL to push the branches into two piles, one for each side of the tree, and then combine the piles if you need to. This way, your FEL does all the work and there's no hand piling. And the limbs are stacked parallel like I mentioned before.
I do burn piles quite often, and in my experience, they burn much better that way.
Another trick if your felling timber and need to burn the branches is to limb the tree where it lays, and then use your FEL to push the branches into two piles, one for each side of the tree, and then combine the piles if you need to. This way, your FEL does all the work and there's no hand piling. And the limbs are stacked parallel like I mentioned before.
Hoeman00
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2002
- Messages
- 872
- Location
- N Central Ohio
- Tractor
- NH TC35D/SUPER H&M/F-20/JD B&D/FORDSON/JD250 SSL
After many burn piles the BEST starter is
split up bales of straw,then put down low
in pile and pour diesel & oil mix onto the
straw.
Lite straw (which absorbs the mix) and
watch it burn.
This stuff will make anything burn.
split up bales of straw,then put down low
in pile and pour diesel & oil mix onto the
straw.
Lite straw (which absorbs the mix) and
watch it burn.
This stuff will make anything burn.
Richard
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 4,997
- Location
- Knoxville, TN
- Tractor
- International 1066 Full sized JCB Loader/Backhoe and a John Deere 430 to mow with
Regarding tire.... my understanding is (here locally) if you get "caught" doing that, you'll get busted. Evidently tire burning is specifically a no-no and they take a dim view of it.
duanet
Silver Member
Gary, you are fortunate not to have fire regulations there in Indiana. We can burn a pile 4' in diameter and 4' tall - legally. That's not much of a pile to serious TBNers. I have another problem - I'm a mile from the airport and just off the glide path. The tower will report any smoke coming out of the woods to 911, so I have to be careful even with my incinerator. I have six big piles about 20'x20'x8', so if I want to burn them, I have to wait for a prolonged fog or blizzard. That's why I usually let the piles rot down. It doesn't take that many years! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Another problem is that I'm a captain in the local volunteer fire company, and that's a rough thing to live with if they send the FD to my house. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif