Pics of bonfire(s)

[CobyRupert]

The spring burn ban finally expired here. Time to get rid of the pine tree tops. Set off 4 of the 6 piles I had all winter. Most were the size of a small dump truck when I started. Saturday morning was a good time, no wind. They burnt till Sunday night with a little help from some pallet forks to keep pushing the outer ring of branches to the center. Very hot.

 

[Xfaxman]

Still under a burn ban here, but finally getting some rain.

Here is one from last year.


And something totally unexpected at this burn pile. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/313222-burn.html#post3787344

 

[CowboyRon]

Here's ours from a couple of months ago.

 

[Thomas]

That should keep biting bugs away.

 

[CobyRupert]

Xfaxman: I didn't see what was unexpected in the link? Or is it they set a standing dead tree on fire? Yes, I've done that before, well it was a live tree, just some dead branches. They put themselves out.
Looks like you had a good fire there. If only there was a way to put all that heat in a bottle and pour it out a little at a time in winter! Unbelievable on the heat those fires throw out. (When you can only take standing 40 feet away for like 10 seconds.)

 

[Xfaxman]

Xfaxman: I didn't see what was unexpected in the link? Or is it they set a standing dead tree on fire? Yes, I've done that before, well it was a live tree, just some dead branches. They put themselves out.
Looks like you had a good fire there. If only there was a way to put all that heat in a bottle and pour it out a little at a time in winter! Unbelievable on the heat those fires throw out. (When you can only take standing 40 feet away for like 10 seconds.)

Yep, starting the dead tree on fire 150 feet away from the burn pile.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Any of you guys ever get flack from the local Environmental Agency for these fires?

 

[CobyRupert]

No, but I once got a visit from the fire chief, my neighbor. I didn’t know there was a burn ban (which for some reason only applies to towns with less than a population of 20,000? And the time period is scheduled months in advance across the whole State regardless of the weather (dryness) conditions! Bureaucrats! )
I had went out in the evening after a couple rainstorms (to be safe!) and lit a big fire. Unfortunately the air was heavy with no breeze and I live on a hill above the town’s village. All the smoke just sort of rolled down the hill and smoked out the whole town. A total blanket. Oops! :duh:
Somebody called the fire chief because they thought the school was on fire. Good thing it’s a small town and they called him directly at home, cause he told me if they’d called 911 he would of have had to give me a $500 ticket. I apologized and pleaded ignorance, but the bad part was that fire occasionally burnt/smoldered for 2 more days on its own. I was worried they’d think I was just being a flagrant offender/jerk.

 

[Xfaxman]

Any of you guys ever get flack from the local Environmental Agency for these fires?

Do we have a local Environmental Agency?

I use the WindAlert Website to look for low winds for two or three days, then call the Meridian Fire Department and tell them I will be burning brush.

WindAlert

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Do we have a local Environmental Agency?

I use the WindAlert Website to look for low winds for two or three days, then call the Meridian Fire Department and tell them I will be burning brush.

WindAlert

Yep. Actually it's the State Department of Environmental Quality; they have (or used to) have some local county offices. There are regulations on open burning that have been around virtually unchanged since the early 70's. I worked for the DEQ for 18 years in Air Quality enforcement/compliance, retired in 2000. Here's a fact sheet on open burning in the state:

http://www.deq.state.ok.us/factsheets/local/perburn1.pdf