Fire

[cavey]

oh man the image of the burnt tree in the fence ..... that my fear, I have a number of burns to do this spring, two prairie/wetland burns and 5 or so large piles of slashings and odds and ends from logging.

 

[buckdeer1]

It wasn't like it was being done for habitat or even agriculture.It seems when people move to the country they think they can do 2 things,let their dogs run loose and burn trash.The thing people forget that is no matter what if you start a fire you are liable for whatever it causes until it's out.Most rural fire departments spend way more fighting wildland fires than structure fires.

 

[buckdeer1]

When looking at burning brush piles we look at wind for 3 days and if the person burning will watch over fire and has way to push up so it burns

 

[T-Max]

Our rural fire response is probably 99.9% escaped controlled burns / dumbasses…


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[4wanderingeyes]

Back when I was a kid, 70’s, my grandpa use to burn the ditches every spring, sometimes it would spread to our 20 acre grass meadow, and to other peoples meadows, and jump the road ditch. No one seemed to care.

One year the electric company decided to put tar on telephone poles, well the tar on the poles burned really well. That was the last year he burned the ditches, not sure if he got fined, or had to pay for the poles. Today I just think how bad things could have gotten.

I do know that the grass in the meadow has never been as good for bailing as it was back then.

 

[cavey]

We spring hunted turkey in the flint hills of Kansas... the ranchers would light fields on fire in the eve and come back and check on them in the morning. It was crazy the number of large unattended pasture/prairie fires we saw hunting. Hundreds of acres burning with no one around.

 

[Gravel Road]

Had a good burn today. Excellent conditions made for a rather uneventful day.

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[buckdeer1]

It's so dry here alot of people aren't burning.My bluestem is still so short from last year I won't burn it but will burn the switch.Half my hay field go tburned the other day so probably won't sell hay this year

 

[Gravel Road]

We've been okay lately. Lots of systems moving through without much quantity. We got .10 last night and it's sprinkling again tonight, but no runoff. Grass is in good shape.

 

[buckdeer1]

I my hay ground wasn't so sandy I would be able to burn and still get crop but with most hay ground we might burn every 5 years.

 

[Maddog66]

We still have over 18” of snow on the ground right now but this area I call a “peninsula” between my fields is the area I’d like to burn as my first try at it - ever. Myself. .

It’s at the very center of our farm and full of invasives. Popple was logged off it about 15 years ago and regen is poor.

It’s about 2.5 acres and runs perfectly N and S so I should be able to burn it to an open field with a few different wind directions. I have my connector trail as a break at the south end and I plan to widen it.

On the North end, my problem is that it’s pretty wet between the fields and I don’t see being able to get in there with equipment to make a break. I was hoping I could just weed whack and maybe rake it…..but mostly just light it with about any North wind and burn away from it.

***I’m having our local forester / prescribed burn manager visit this spring to help me lay out this and a few other spots…..so please don’t think I’m going off 1/2 cocked.

Thoughts? Critiques?

 

[T-Max]

With a North wind, light immediately on the North side of your trail at the South. Let that back burn 60’ wide and then go to the North and let er rip. What is planted in the fields to the East and West?


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[Maddog66]

The red outlines are last fall’s brassicas and clover & rye plots …..the rest is corn stubble.

Thank you BTW….I’ve been hoping it might be that easy!!

One follow-on question about lighting the fires. Do you spend the $200+ dollars for an actual dribble lighter…..or is there a cheaper way to go?

 

[cavey]

One follow-on question about lighting the fires. Do you spend the $200+ dollars for an actual dribble lighter…..or is there a cheaper way to go?

I have a drip torch, but before that I started with flares which suck, then switched to these... also get a flint striker for a torch set 3-5 bucks, the push button striker will eventually break on the cane. Get the cheapest weed burner you can 20-30 bucks buy two if there cheap

 

[Maddog66]

Thanks Cavey. Reading between the lines, I think I’ll just order a drip torch () and be done with it. God how I hate tools that don’t work the way I need them to!!!!

I see they aren’t $200 either. About $150 after a 10% discount.

 

[T-Max]

For little burns like that, we just use a pitchfork. Scratch up a little grass and drag it along. Created quite the nice line. For a beginner, it also encourages you to go slow.


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[T-Max]

My father and I burned a little 3.5 acre brome field earlier this spring. As you can see the wind pretty much swirled from every direction. By reading the smoke and flame we needed nothing but a couple pitchforks to keep it all u deer control.


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[cavey]

Thanks Cavey. Reading between the lines, I think I’ll just order a drip torch () and be done with it. God how I hate tools that don’t work the way I need them to!!!!

I see they aren’t $200 either. About $150 after a 10% discount.

The weed burners work really good, dont get me wrong. We still use them. Their simple clean and easy to use especially on smaller burns. The benefit to the drip torch is you can move really fast laying down a nice line of fire. Pain is mixing the fuel... they are a bit messy too. If you plan to do it regularly its a good investment.

 

[buckdeer1]

Forestry suppliers usually has good deal on drip torches

 

[Gravel Road]

For a little fire like that just use a rake and drag the fire along. No need to spend the money on a torch or weed burner. We used rakes for years, usually burning a minimum of 160 acres. Plus, a rake will keep you moving a little slower.
Hopefully you have a few people to help, especially if you don't have a sprayer. If it's dry, fire has a way of creeping away.
Good luck