How long to wait to burn fresh timber?

DmansPadge · Jul 4, 2005

Hey guys. I just bought another 1/2 acre next to my land and had it cleared. It was heavily wooded and filled with brush. I have a mixture of pine, oak, sweet gum, and about anything else you could imagine that I need to burn. How long should I let it sit before I start to burn?

Thanks!

Gatorboy · Jul 4, 2005

Do you need a permit to burn? Here in Maryland even when they issue a permit you cannot burn from I think May through September. It has to do with the humidity which keeps the smoke from disappaiting well.

If you can burn this time of year, you can light your pile anytime -- once that pile gets hot, it doesn't matter how fresh it is ... it will dry out quickly in the fire. Soak some old rags in diesel and light.

If you were going to use the wood in a fireplace, then waiting would be something you would want to do.

sneaky_pete · Jul 4, 2005

Congratulations on your new acquisition Ron. The land right next to my place is for sale, and the price has recently come down, but I just don't know if I want the extra taxes and insurance.

I usually let my burn pile dry out for several months before lighting it, but I don't know if it really makes a difference. The one time that I hard time getting a big pile lit, I got out the old leaf blower (from the last house in town - never blow leaves now) and that had it burning brightly in no time.

turnkey4099 · Jul 4, 2005

You can burn it anytime. I have burned anywhere from day of cutting to a year later. An aid to getting the fire started are fireplace logs - light one near bottom of pile on upwind side, feed it some smaller stuff. Dose with diesel also is a big help. Once started a good sized pile will burn even grass green.

Harry K

LarryD · Jul 4, 2005

I've seen burn piles (including mine) torched the same day. A little bit of diesel, like a couple gals., will certainly get it started.

Not sure if they are available there but the rental yards around here carry a gas powered fan that you aim at the fire and cut your burn time down significantly. It makes for such a hot fire there is less ash in the air and less smoke. If you've got neighbors near by, they'll appreciate it.

BB_TX · Jul 5, 2005

What I cut in spring and early summer, I burn in mid fall while the grass is still green. What I cut in the fall and winter, I burn in late spring or early summer while the grass is still green. I don't burn in winter or mid summer when the grass is dry.
The drier the brush and limbs, the faster it burns and the less ashes you will have when it finishes.

Nasty135 · Jul 5, 2005

DmansPadge, I usally wait about 4-6 months to give the wood a chance to dry out. It will light quicker ,burn faster with much less smoke /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Now for my NEXT Door neighbor!! There was this locust tree between our properties, Storm blows it over (his yard /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)So I offer to help him cut it up , I end up cutting the whole thing, he takes half the wood and all the brush(which he tried to burn that evening and at least once a week till it dried out enough to be successful)....and his lighting method was gasoline with a BOOM!!! which would burn out in a few minutes /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Anyhow unless you have a very hot fire its best wait for the wood to dry out a while... At least that my method

DmansPadge · Jul 5, 2005

Thanks guys. Looks like I might have to wait anyway. The county is considering a burn ban due to the lack of rain. Almost all the surrounding counties have already instated one.

I don't have to have a permit where I'm at. I also have access to a bunch of 10 yr. old diesel that was sucked from a broken generator that had a 400 gal. tank.

I don't know how true this is... but, the guy that ran the dozer said about 9 days is just right to burn. He claimed it has something to do with the sap forming a gas that will burn very well? Anyone ever heard of that theory?

Thanks

Highbeam · Jul 6, 2005

If the pile is stacked tight and high and also clean of dirt it should burn well even when green. I have had a very hard time burning green debris in "dozer piles", meaning low wide dirty piles.

Once the fire is going, the fire burns the water out of the green debris and then it burns up. The total fire is cooler since energy is wasted evaporating water.

I would wait until the fall rains if you can. Some of the loggers even throw plastic over the piles to keep the rain and snow from wetting the wood. They leave the plastic on when starting the fire.

FL_Cracker · Jul 6, 2005

Burn it green. It will do just fine. A little trick I use is to cut the top out of a soda can,oor it 1/2 full of gas, stick a paper towel in it like a wick and light it. Start with a large pile of the samll stuff and start adding the larger stuff as the fire gets bigger. The little gas can in the bottom will burn for a long time and keep things going....

If needed be sure to get a permit.