Text Book Knowledge & No Common Sense

IndianaPaul · Jul 5, 2001

After purchasing my TC45 this spring with the appropriate 'toys', I was pretty sure I was set to re-enter country life after a 30+ year hiatus. Have spent most of the spring getting the pastures and gardens in shape, making plans for the pond, etc... Then the 'human' factor comes into play (did find out FEL was a pretty good firefighting tool).

Have gradually been clearing up debris from logging which took place about 6-7 years ago. Gradually burning a large stump out in the pasture. Last go at it was 2 days ago...watered it down before turning in for the night. Came home today to find about 3.5 acres burning in my pasture and fast approaching the woodline. A guy doing some concrete work for me called 911, I hopped on the tractor and started using the FEL to make a fire break. Took a while, but got about 1/2 contained by time fire dept. got there. Problem was, I had no access to the woods because the ravine was too steep. If not for the water trucks & hoses arriving, not sure what I'd of done. House wasn't in danger, but neighbor's place would have been if it had gone any further.

Spent the last 3 hours using FEL to cut down bank & provide access road to woods & ravine. Next time will make sure that when dowsing I use plent of water, and also open up a firebreak around it before hand.

glennmac · Jul 6, 2001

Paul, thanks for sharing your experience. It always amazes me how many things can go wrong. Moses gained wisdom from a burning bush, and so can we all from your burning stump.

geneP · Jul 6, 2001

IndianaPaul, How were you so successful in getting a stump to burn? I've tried several times with no success. I've cut slashes and drilled holes in the bottom and soaked with diesel. When the diesel burns up, the fire goes out without igniting the stump. And these are pine stumps!

IndianaPaul · Jul 9, 2001

GeneP:

Well, I was successful....though also got a lot more than I bargained for.

As for how I did it. Took a lot of work/patience (and the winter). Since I did not have the right 'toys' to rip it up and didn't want to hire it done, I used kerosene. Started last fall by drilling about seven or eight 1/2" holes about 6 inches deep in the wood (top & sides). About once a week, I took out 1/2" gallon of kerosene & filled all the holes. When I was done, I put a small tarp back over it. Did that most of the winter & spring, then poured a fresh dose of kerosene on it before buring it a couple of weeks ago (stump is almost gone after setting it a fire 3 times). The last round of burning is what caused my trouble.

Stump went from being almost 3 ft tall & 31" across top, to about 9 inches tall & about 17 inches across now).

Good luck!

IndianaPaul

dmccarty · Jul 9, 2001

IndianaPaul,

Ouch, my nightmare of a burn pile gone out of control turned into your reality.... Big Bad /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif.

Here is what I do for what its worth. I have a burn pile near my private road. Three reasons for this, one its easy to pile the wood and the wood was from the road bed. Two, its tough to burn gravel so the road worked as a firebreak on one side. Three, if things got out of hand it was easy access for the fire department. It still scares me for the first hour or so of the burn. Don't like it at all.

I keep the area around the burn pile well cleared of burnable material. I do have PILES and I do mean PILES
of timber scrap nearby. This area was used as the decking area during the timber operation. Burning embers have impressed and scared the heck out of me as I have seen how far they fly and how hot they are landing...... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

I don't have access to water so to put on the fire I use dirt. I got lucky the first time I burned because I had a pile of dirt nearby. Worked real well. I dug out a stump about 15 inches in diameter near the burn pile. I put all the spoil near by to use to smoother the fire at the end of the day. When I get ready to start a burn pile at this particular site, I dig up the the previous ash/dirt from the hole for more spoil and then pile the wood over the hole. The hole is roughly 5-6 feet wide and long. Its about two feet deep. When the fire burns the wood naturally falls into the hole. I can push the unburned wood into the hole as the day goes on. The hole helps contain the fire and concetrate the heat. At the end of the day all I have to do is take the spoil dirt ontop of the hole and I'm done.

So far its worked. I also try and have been very lucky with weather. I try to burn right after a rain to keep the ground wet. I also try to burn when another front is going to bring in rain. So far I have actually managed to do this two or three times. Dumb Luck I guess! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I likely have at least 6 more burns to do at this site to clean up the slash from the deck operation. I only burn piles about 8-10 feet wide, 6-7 feet tall and maybe 15 feet long.

But my pasture clearing piles are numerous and slightly larger. I'm going to be digging up stumps after the slash is cleared into piles. The stumps will go on the burn piles as well. I'm going to have to dig some pretty big trenchs to push the wood into prior to the burn. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do this but I'm going to be spending the weekend on the property when the burns start..... Not looking forward to it at all but its the only economical way to get rid of the mess....

Good Luck....
Dan

StoneHeartFarm · Jul 9, 2001

IndianaPaul,

I usually do my burning in the winter when there's snow on the ground, or REAL early in the spring when everything is still pretty wet.

SHF

HR_Mutt · Jul 10, 2001

geneP
I've had good luck burning some stumps by getting a nice hot coal fire going under it.If you get it running hot enough to keep the coal going it will burn up.What also worked great is to rent a Kubota L48 for the weekend/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif and pop a few dozen of 'em!
regards
Mutt

geneP · Jul 10, 2001

IndianaPaul, I don't think I was as patient as you in soaking the stump. I only soaked mine a few times. Maybe I should take Mutt's suggestion and dig'um up.

IndianaPaul · Jul 10, 2001

SHF:

Good point about doing it during the winter/early spring. Looks like I'll probably begin doing the same thing now. Besides, will give me a good reason to take my Blue out & play in cold weather too.

Paul

StoneHeartFarm · Jul 10, 2001

Paul,

Middle of winter works good. I burned 3 great big piles of brush about 10 years ago. Had to knock the snow off to get em started. The good thing about it is that the snow on top sort of regulates the burn rate. Still, I had flames shooting up high enough that the cops drove by real slow to see what was going on. Didn't bother to stop, just drove past. When spring came, all I had was 3 piles of ashes.

SHF