secrets of getting wet brash to burn

[Bart]

Had to clear and burn acres of ramorum infected Rhododendron, everything had to be burnt including rootballs and surface leaf litter. for this we used some old corrugated roofing bent into a ring and secured with short scaffold poles. in the base of the fire we put some old cast drain pipe and exhaust so air could be blown in directly to the heart of the fire, bit like a mini furnace. Would burn snow covered frozen brash in seconds. We just started the fire slowly with any dead/small diamiter stuff and built it up once theres a good base pile what you want on.

[Bolt]

Burning tyres is a massive no no. We caught a farmer burning approximately 2000 tyres. The smoke could be seen from miles away so we informed DEFRA and EA and they sent their guys out. The farmer was fined somewhere in the region of £150,000 for deliberately polluting the air, nearby ditches (from the molten rubber) and causing a nuisance to a nearby village.

 

IMO, 2000 tyres is far too many. 157 tyres (or inner tubes ) should get even the wettest brash going (though you may be better of doing it on a foggy day )

[armchairarborist]

havn't built a fire for a while, if i'm in a rush then £10 of petrol poured on top, then flick matches from a safe distance (2metres), the explosion usually makes the pile(about the size of two landrovers) jump a foot in the air and bring all the residents of the valley out in a panic.. the fuel must be ignited immediately after pouring or will evaporate and be a complete waste,

the more leisurely approach is the 'hot start', build a pallet stack (3pallets) packed with kindling and smokeless coal to get the fire going really hot, then keep throwing brash on as fast as you can, everytime the flames burn through the canopy of brash you just patch the hole with more brash..

please note these methods must be used by trained professionals only, and you should use extreme caution not to spill your beer with any stray explosions:thumbup1:

[liamjordan]

havn't built a fire for a while, if i'm in a rush then £10 of petrol poured on top, then flick matches from a safe distance (2metres), the explosion usually makes the pile(about the size of two landrovers) jump a foot in the air and bring all the residents of the valley out in a panic.. the fuel must be ignited immediately after pouring or will evaporate and be a complete waste,

the more leisurely approach is the 'hot start', build a pallet stack (3pallets) packed with kindling and smokeless coal to get the fire going really hot, then keep throwing brash on as fast as you can, everytime the flames burn through the canopy of brash you just patch the hole with more brash..

please note these methods must be used by trained professionals only, and you should use extreme caution not to spill your beer with any stray explosions:thumbup1:

we do that sbut its easier wrapping an oily rag on a stick, ligthting that and throwing that into the fire

 

but we wouldnt use 10 quids worth!!

[Mark Bolam]

Build a small fire with dry deadwood and build it up, light the fire on 4 streight lenghts of 4" timber to keep it off the ground at the start, wait for at least 30 mins. Trim your brash to 4' lenghts and add this once your fire is really going then wait some more. Once you have a 6'wide fire that is burning well then you can start chucking anything on it. It takes patience but it is quicker in the long run. Once going you can load it with a machine no porblem, I have burnt tons and tons of stuff this way.

 

Its better spending an hour first thing doing it properly then having to repeatedly unpick your fire, or even worse wasting fuel and tyres on it.

 

Ditto Tom.

 

Patience is the key. Ignore the bonfire. Concentrate on building a small red hot camp fire, feeding it slowly.

 

I find petrol crap for fire lighting, but it is fun! (in a don't try this at home kids kind of way).

[skyhuck]

havn't built a fire for a while, if i'm in a rush then £10 of petrol poured on top, then flick matches from a safe distance (2metres), the explosion usually makes the pile(about the size of two landrovers) jump a foot in the air and bring all the residents of the valley out in a panic.. the fuel must be ignited immediately after pouring or will evaporate and be a complete waste,

the more leisurely approach is the 'hot start', build a pallet stack (3pallets) packed with kindling and smokeless coal to get the fire going really hot, then keep throwing brash on as fast as you can, everytime the flames burn through the canopy of brash you just patch the hole with more brash..

please note these methods must be used by trained professionals only, and you should use extreme caution not to spill your beer with any stray explosions:thumbup1:

 

[Bolt]

I can't believe people are advising using petrol or diesel. It is a wicked waste of out earths precious resourses

 

These days we all MUST recycle, for the sake of the children.

 

 

 

 

and thats why you should use sump oil and tyres (for the sake of the planet, man:thumbup1:)

[Matthew Arnold]

We had a complete muppet at work. He had only just started working with us. He thought he was the Dog's but he was thick enough to pour petrol from a leaf blower onto a fire to attempt to get it going. I informed the boss straight away and the lad was given such a bollocking and was then sacked on the spot. We were so annoyed with what he had done we sent him home and we were aproximately 5 miles from where his car was parked. It sounds harsh but it was fair in my mind. And as Mark Bolam says patience is key.

[TArrryan]

leaf blower and thermite or KNO2 if I'm running low

[Frankie Lawrence]

 

If you havent got a blower, the cooling air / exhaust flow off a chainsaw works just as well (just don't singe your bar)

Dont do this!

 

it gets smoke into the carb which isnt a good ive known a few people to need new carbs because of this.

 

plenty of dead, horsey bags, bit of petrol wooooosh