I just burned a brush pile on our property a couple of weeks ago. The method that I used was to put diesel fuel on it (just splashing it) all the way around first and give a few minutes. A lot of times I will use a garden sprayer to apply the fuel. I then lit it and let it "go to town". I wanted it to burn fast and hot. After the initial burn I used a leaf blower to give it more oxygen when needed. I took pretty much the same precautions that you did with having a couple of water hoses on hand as well as some shovels and rakes. I also had some help so that there were plenty of hands available to help control it. From my training in firefighting school in the Navy I knew that a fire needs 3 things to burn. Oxygen, heat and fuel. Where we are we are supposed to get a "permit" which is pretty much the same thing that you did. The "permit" is free and essentially serves the same purpose... to notify the fire department that you are doing a burn with the date and time. You did a good job (as always).
Steve, when were you in the navy ? I was in from 10/18/1971 to 8/15/1975. My rate was ADJ 3. I was a plane captain with a A6 training squadron at NAS Oceana, Va. Beach, Va. Boot camp in San Deigo, Ca.
@@dennishayes65 I served from 1989 to 1998 as an AT in a S-3 squadron as well as an instructor in Jacksonville, Florida (my current home). I was stationed at Cecil Field NAS (now closed) and made 3 deployments on the USS America (decommissioned). I still work for the Navy as a civilian contractor at the P-3 Aircraft Training Facility at Jacksonville NAS. I got hooked on this channel because my wife and I bought some property (35 acres) in North Florida and are building our retirement home very similar to what Evan and Rebeka are doing.
You are so right about burning in an open area and can never be too careful. It's good that it rained just enough to keep it from getting out of control. Kudo's to you for being smart.😉👍
Looks like the brush pile did at least burn up fairly well for you guys. I prefer to mix diesel & used motor oil to soak the brush pile. That seems to work fairly well for me. Keep up the good work. Stay safe.
Leaf blower is the only way. We have been doing that for years. In NC all the pines drop stuff like crazy. On our 100 acres we gather up a brush pile 20 feet tall by 30 foot round every year. We wait till it rains 2-3 inches in 24 hours then light it off with kerosene and a BR600 Stihl blower. One guy and 20 minutes can make a fire 100 feet tall.
I love the way you teach! Very thorough and even the teacher learns as he teaches. Oh aaaaand there was a cat in the mix! Perfect. This was a brush burning tutorial and a cat video all in one. So many how to videos make it seem like there is no prep or lead up to the event and that it was all so effortless. You put it all out there…thank you sincerely for taking the time to pass on knowledge in a simple interesting way.
My tip on brush fires is I always start the fire on the upwind side of my brush pile. surprising how just a mild wind will push the fire downwind into the rest of your brush pile. you get more burned that way and spend less time moving brush. I never had much luck even on big fires with it burning upwind.
Fire fire 👍👍. Diesel is safe. I put about a half gallon in one spot up wind and it gets them going. Once I got my place under control, I made a burn pit and I’ll drag trees with the tractor to the pit and cut them there and burn them up and save nice logs for wiener roasts. Thanks for the video
I saw a volunteer fireman pour 5 gallons of gasoline on top of a big rubish pile, climb down, walk 20 feet away and then throw a road flare onto the pile. The resulting explosion knocked him off his feet, singed all the hair off his face, and created a fireball 60 feet up in the air. I think the pile, which had been sitting for a while, had gotten hot which vaporized the gas much quicker than he expected. You are 100% correct, dont EVER use gas to light a fire.
I've been enjoying your videos for a while now I too live out in the country and have been amazed at how non-flammable diesel fuel is. I definitely agree you should have started with it however instead of throwing it on by the gallon I've used a garden sprayer to spray it on really efficiently What's really crazy is how close you can get and how hard it is to light the diesel fuel. Lol Anyway the main reason why I'm commenting in this post is because I've learned that, more important than fuel, is having a leaf blower handy The leaf blower does an even better job than fuel. It also helps speeds up burning those big logs
Too funny! I just acquired one of those the propane torches and published a burning video this morning too. I can't imagine starting burn piles any other way any more. I always cut back the grass , or at least drag my box blade around the burn pile to reduce the risk of fire spreading. Looks like you had it all under control though. Good video!
Just watched you video burning your brush pile. That torch is pretty awesome isn't it. I subscribed to your channel. Good luck with the tree farm. I have been planting chestnut trees on our property from seed. I have another 86 seeds in the fridge cold stratifying. Trying to make a chestnut forest on the side of my property. But that will take several years.
@@CountryViewAcres THat sounds nice! I've thought about buying some chesnut seedlings and doing a grove of trees. We have a lot of oak, but I think it would be good to get some other wildlife food sources going.
I spray diesel on with a garden sprayer, add some dry pallet wood under the pile and add some newspaper, once I get it started I use Leaf blower to fan the fire. Your pile was too loose. Good video thanks
I have burning experience with all types of brush. I’ve never let brush sit more than four weeks. Green brush dies and creates methane gas in the fibers at three to four weeks. I use the methane gas in the wood to burn and I have almost no ashes left over. Very clean burn.
Can't blame you for trying without fuel. I think you took all precautions since it can get out of control fast. Texas has been dry so we're been under a burn ban. A few weeks ago a grass/brush fire got started by someone welding some fence. Enjoying your channel!
A week or so before you go to burn a slash pile put a tarp over part of it to keep any rain off it so you have a nice dry area to start the fire and the heat from the fire can dry out the rest of it.
Guys make sure when you do this you light the fire on the up wind side of the pile so that the wind blows the fire into the pile that was part of the problem on this burn
I add a small amount of gasoline with my diesel and used motor oil in a pump sprayer. Soak it all down a let it sit a while before lighting. Don’t use very much gasoline but it helps light the diesel without being so volatile.
I'd love to make some pottery to fire in a big brush pile like yours. Our local farmers are burning the 60 yr old radiator pine trees that have reached the end of their lives in winter. These trees are all over the Mornington Peninsula ( not burning in our bushfire season) greetings from Australia.
I assume that attachment is something you can buy made. I burned some brush in what I call a flash fire. Just to burn the leaves off real quick then dowse it to leave only the wood behind for mulch. I did one pile but had leaves in my much that I didn't like. I like burning but I'm always safe about it. Happy birnin' I had a totado wipe about 20 trees and that stuff has to go. 2 landed on the garage and one smashed my chain link fence. Gotta lot of ahead of as I live in the Forest
I always use gasoline, BUT I use it to soak old shirts / rags which I stuff into the pile before lighting. Give me a few minutes of good burn, which is enough to light the pile well.
Once I tried to do a small brush burn...just a nice evening fire and then a cookout... I couldn't get it to go. I didn't want to use fuel on it so I gave up...went in the house and went to bed. Next morning I came outside and the brush pile was completely burned...just ashes left. You just never know what is going to happen with fire. It seems to have a mind of its own.
I enjoy clearing my land. I'm cutting and splitting my hedge and locust to make room for more useful and desirable trees. I just want ones without thorns.
May not be the safest, but I put my diesel fuel in a 3 gal pressure spray, I can direct the fuel to the area of the fire that needs refreshing, so far it’s worked pretty good and you stay back 10 ft or so from the flames,
Good job being prepared with the Sheriff and Fire Departments and trying to burn the perimeters first. You recognized the unsafe condition of using fuel and was fortunate to get by this time and know not to try it again 👍👍. Other than that you handled the burn exceptionally well !! Thanks for sharing with us.
Leaf blower works great. Back when i was a kid my dad used old car tires. Can't do that anymore. Well, i guess if you don't get caught you still can but if a game warden catches you doing this you will be Fined here in W.V. No man made materials can be used to fire a brush pile. It contaminates the water in streams.
Why did you burn it instead of using the brush on the homestead? (just curious) For example, chipping it down for compost, using the suitable bits for firewood etc. Are you going to use the ash as a fertiliser?
Every man to his own preference but I started my brush pile using an old rag soaked in diesel and put it to the bottom of the pile and lit it. Them ol flames sure are hot.
Only thing I might have done was bring the tractor with the loader over, and a rear blade so I could push the unburned brush into the fire. A lot safer, plus it can help to expose the soil if the grass catches on fire and there was a dangerous it spreading.
A safer way to start a fire is just get a bag of charcoal and light it first. When it is burning well get a shovel and shovel the coals into the bottom of the pile.
I think you got it backwards, instead of shielding the fire from the breeze, use it next time. Fire needs fuel and air, you had plenty of fuel, not enough air.
Gasoline does just explode. It burns up so quick it usually wont start the fire. If fulls needed diesel or kerosene burn slower. I save all my paper and cardboard to help.
Why would you not use a brush cutter on a tractor to knock down the grass and brush around the brush pile instead of trying to burn it? Also, take the loader tractor and push the outer part on top of the hot coals, it will burn more thoroughly
Seed or feed sacks stuffed in the bottom of a pile & used oil thrown on top is what i've had the best luck with. I also have a small metal container mounted on long wood pole that I use to dump old gas or diesel on a fire. I know it can be dangerous, but i've had good success with it & have used it safely every time. After I dump the fuel on it I let the fumes on the container & pole burn off. Just my "two cents" & what I've had good success with. Throwing fuel on a fire does work but my experiences is that it fizzles out after the fuel has burnt off.
Gasoline. No. A guy cleared the lot next to our house with a pile probably three times this size. So we're sitting in our living room and see this incredible flash of light and hear this huge "BOOM" ... Gasoline? No. Don't use that.
