vivienz Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Following on from all the hedgerows removal and hedge laying that was done earlier this year, I have an enormous pile of woody waste that needs to be burned. It's currently resident in the garden area but I may get it dragged into the field. My past history may be chequered but being a pyromaniac is not something I ever aspired to and so I have no idea how to actually set light to this stuff and get it all burned. Is it as simple as a judiciously applied can of petrol and a match or two, or is there a more scientific approach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Why not get a garden incinerator and do it a bit at a time? Much safer and controllable! Pouring petrol on is asking for trouble! Usually start mine with the MAPP torch or barbecue coals. Best if the stuff is dry or it'll smoke like a b'stard! https://www.screwfix.com/p/galvanised-incinerator-bin-90ltr/51344? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 DO NOT try lighting a bonfire with petrol. It WILL end badly, if you are lucky just with singed eyebrows. Diesel yes, petrol NOOOOOOO. I light mine when I have one with a gas blowtorch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) 20 minutes ago, vivienz said: My past history may be chequered but being a pyromaniac is not something I ever aspired to and so I have no idea how to actually set light to this stuff and get it all burned. Is it as simple as a judiciously applied can of petrol and a match or two I’ve always aspired to be a pyromanic and if I lived closer I would be there but please don’t use petrol! I have memories of my father starting the bonfire night bonfire with petrol. A case of putting a flame in and running like crap as it went up like a rocket. Not to be recommended! As @Onoff says use an incinerator for smaller controllable burns or if you have a decent sized field away from all buildings and hedges you could do a larger bonfire but grass can catch light in dry weather too. Plus don’t forget the neighbours if you have any. You won’t be popular if you start a fire on a lovely day when they are relaxing in the garden. Edited May 22, 2018 by newhome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivienz Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 Good point about the grass- better to do it sooner rather than later, methinks, as the ground should be a little wet after the predicted rain at the weekend, which should stop the grass going up with it. I will have a word with the neighbours too, of course. Any more advances on how to start it? There's way too much for an incinerator/dustbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) I think an incinerator may be a little small if it is a serious hedge ?. Perhaps a metal cage pallet. Well away from anything combustible. Perhaps a bit pre soaked in white spirit not diesel for less smoke though others may differ. Have the stuff ready to add. Light with newspapers and dry fresh wood offcuts under a part of the pile with dry stuff on the upwind side. A garden fork to keep pushing stuff towards the centre. A hose handy just in case. A spade to beat out any stray flame fronts. Non combustible clothes, and perhaps a hat to avoid hair issues. Duffle coats are good. And some roast potatoes in the middle. In a biscuit tin. A bit of plastic may help it start. Just check your la notes on the website in case you have any flappy neighbours. And coffee or beer. And enjoy. Edited May 22, 2018 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Construction Channel Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Diesel and old oil mixed together is a family favourite. Petrol can be fun but it’s better to throw bags of it on from a distance if you want to speed things up. Starting it with petrol is a very dangerous game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 10 minutes ago, vivienz said: better to do it sooner rather than later, methinks, as the ground should be a little wet after the predicted rain at the weekend, which should stop the grass going up with it. Won’t the hedging be wet too if it’s after rain? You want that dry really. A hosepipe nearby should help control things I imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) If you build a bonfire pile and leave it for a while before lighting it can become a haven for wildlife. From hedgehogs making nests to slow worms under the rotting base. Worth giving things a shake up and bit of a pull apart before you light it...unless you're partial to a bit of roast hedgehog... Apples bake up nice as well. If you want to do sausages on sticks then a green stick won't burn so quick. Same with toast and marshmallows. Man made boards can give off noxious fumes! Edited May 22, 2018 by Onoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 I find the old fashioned way works well. A few bits of screwed up news paper, some small DRY kindling, twigs etc and a match. Light the newspaper and add more small dry bits of wood slowly until you've got a reasonable fire going then you can add bigger bits until you can chuck anything on. (Doesn't work too well in a high wind, though.) Recently had a bonfire started this way to get rid of a couple of years worth of hedging. Ended up being a 4 day bonfire. The ashes are still hot, 2 weeks later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Get a decent garden shredder, shred it, bag it and take it to the dump. Burning is not really socially acceptable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 The wispy bits from silver birch bark makes for a superb firestarter to get your kindling going. Handy if hiking...or your plane crashes in the Andes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivienz Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 6 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: Get a decent garden shredder, shred it, bag it and take it to the dump. Burning is not really socially acceptable. We had the hedges removed and laid by a tree surgeon and they chipped/shredded as much as they could on site, using their industrial shredder. Much of what is left is scrubby rootball and, quite frankly, if it wouldn't go through their shredder, I very much doubt that it would go through anything I could get my hands on. We currently have one set of near neighbours who know that we will need to burn this stuff and have no issues with it as long as it's done properly. Re. the wildlife, this is why I want to move the heap from its current position in the garden and into the field - it will give a chance for any wildlife to escape in the process. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 7 minutes ago, Onoff said: If you build a bonfire pile and leave it for a while before lighting it can become a haven for wildlife. From hedgehogs making nests to slow worms under the rotting base. Worth giving things a shake up and bit of a pull apart before you light it...unless you're partial to a bit of roast hedgehog... Aw, see you can be nice! Just Roland and Tufty who have to watch out chez @Onoff Definitely move it to a new place to avoid torching live critters as @Onoff says ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Pile it up and put some petrol in a glass bottle with a rag to act as a wick. Light the wick and lob the bottle and stand back. That's how it's done in NI !!!?? Technically if it hasn't got at least 1000 pallets, a few hundred tyres , dozens of well worn mattresses and a few sofas then it's not really a bonfire. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivienz Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 6 minutes ago, Declan52 said: Pile it up and put some petrol in a glass bottle with a rag to act as a wick. Light the wick and lob the bottle and stand back. That's how it's done in NI !!!?? Technically if it hasn't got at least 1000 pallets, a few hundred tyres , dozens of well worn mattresses and a few sofas then it's not really a bonfire. I think that's how they do it in France, too, especially when the farmers go on strike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 6 minutes ago, vivienz said: I think that's how they do it in France, too, especially when the farmers go on strike. They must have done some work experience here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Start with a small fire upwind and use a leaf blower to increase the combustion rate. If it starts smoking use the leaf blower again to get extra air in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Our landscapers dispatched lots of beech hedge and a few trees in January - roots and all. I was sceptical that it wouldn't burn but they started with a few smashed up pallets and used a leaf blower to keep it going - the roots will smoulder overnight to ash once the main fire has died down. A good hot fire will not generate that much smoke. Declan, you remind me why I can never have any of the old NI gang round to visit - always desperate to get a wee fire going. One mate had to be restrained from burning the garden Jenga .. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Get it started. Use a blower and Red Diesel (much cheaper). Or wait for a strong wind blowing in an acceptable direction. Get it really hot, and keep it fed with small bits until there's a really hot core. Keep that core as hot as possible. A good fire is no accident, it's hard work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) I once ran out of diesel and used petrol to get a bonfire going. Big mistake. The petrol trickles down through the wood evaporating as it goes. You end up with a mix of fuel and air also known as a fuel-air-bomb or Thermobaric weapon... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermobaric_weapon . The blast was quite impressive. My eyebrows have grown back so I look like Dennis Healy. I recommend waiting a few weeks after its been cut for all/any green leaf to dry out. It will burn more easily with less smoke. Edited May 22, 2018 by Temp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 When the lads cleared our garden last July, they started by building a modest fire, a few m high, with the hedge cuttings that had been lying around for a year, the old chicken coop, greenhouse frame and I added some tree cuttings that were a few years old plus any old timber still lying on site. They planned to burn it later in the week when rain was forecast but it was blazing hot all week. Finally on the Thursday they lit it with no accelerant whatsoever. Flames went about 15m up and a spruce about 20 m away started to smoulder. After 10 mins intensive blaze, fire collapsed into a heap and was done - virtually no smoke. A few weeks later, the hedge 12m either side of the fire and the spruce started to go brown, showing how big the heat ball was... They tried to hose it but was too hot to get anywhere close. So be careful 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvincentd Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 I burned half of mine today.....cut in Feb and now so dry it took nothing to get it started. The dodgiest bit is adding piles of leaves once it’s burning well.....they tend to get taken by the updraft and if they’ve managed to catch light that’s not ideal. Im now bagging the leaves and let them compost. Be careful...I’ve a lot less hair on my face after 4 hours of burning today, but feel lucky to still have eyelids.....wind changes direction fast! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Training in bonfire construction is available.....at least in the more progressive parts of the UK. https://theulsterfry.com/featured/schools-to-offer-gcses-in-bonfire-building/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 There's something quite mesmerising about a bonfire. After first "upgrading" to an incinerator I pulled up a chair, cracked open a beer and sat intent on enjoying the evening on the premise that I needed to keep an eye on the fire. Well, if the constantly shifting smoke didn't get me the gnats did! Time I think to empty it of all it's lodgers that have no doubt taken up residence and have another go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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