Just wondering if there are any quick tips/tricks to knowing if firekilled pine is good to go or not? The guy I got wood from for the last few years packed it in, so no more easy cutting for me lol. Really miss driving up to the reject piles aka not straight as an arrow logs and anything that can fit on the truck, $40 cash. Which leads me to this. There were a few forest fires about 12-15 miles from here last year, so I'm going to have to root around out there. What exactly am I looking for in fire killed pine to kind of know it will be low enough moisture content? Does it sound different if you bonk it with an axe compared to a live tree? I mean obviously there's going to be burnt or scorched bark or limbs, but how much is enough? Or too much? Any quick tips appreciated on knowing "ready to burn" by visual or other methods.
I’ve got experience with this. Every piece is different and you have to look at them all individually. Some pieces were completely healthy fully live green trees that got scorched a little and still need to dry. Other pieces that got scorched were already dead and until you can determine what you’ve got you just gotta take each piece on a case by case basis. if in doubt that’s what moisture meters are for. It’s always my first choice to look for pieces where the bark will fall off easily so I don’t have to deal with all the charred mess that comes with this situation. We had two big fires about a mile away from me last summer and so I’ve got this situation myself. I’ve gotten a few trees that were minimal charring just because it’s so close to me but it is very messy and most the time it’s probably worth driving farther just to get clean wood.
Moisture meter should give you a pretty good idea of where it stands on moisture content. Inexpensive tool that is nice to have for situations such as this.
I'll be felling the trees, so I was hoping there was an eyeball test kinda like Goldilocks porridge lol. I guess it will be luck of the draw then. I'm going to go explore the area and hopefully come back with a load today. I do in fact have a moisture meter that I never use anymore, as I'm boring and burn poplar and pine. I have a pretty good sense once it's in hand if it'll burn well or not.
I can't comment much on the moisture content except the dry wood is a lot lighter than fresh wood. I will warn you it's DIRTY!! I was wearing business attire the year we used burned wood and the soot got ALL over my clothes no matter how careful I was bringing a load or too after work. Also, the bark falling off while carrying it in, normally I would just sweep up the chards and be done with it but this left soot on my broom, dust pan and floor. We went through a couple cords of it, heated just fine.
Well that was a worthwhile venture once we toured the area a bit and got it figured out. There was another fella cutting out there in some of the smaller stuff I would have rather grabbed, but I didn't think dropping a tree on him would make me very popular. And I guess it's just a matter of take what you can get out there, I figure at least half of what I brought home can go in the stove this year. The other guy also gave me a lead on another area with much smaller 6-7" diameter trees, he said it would be alright for guys who don't really want to split much wood. Long as the weather holds out I should be laughing.
Wife was bored and taking pics. I cut this one and 2 smaller ones...needless to say it didn't all fit lol. Next guy to the area will be happy to find some bonus 4 foot lengths.
I get into some decent sized doug fir and larch out here but looking at your wifes picture I would consider that to be the perfect diameter tree for me to tackle if I could choose. Did you find much of it was checked?
I'll have a better look this afternoon, but some of it is checked. Not like big single checks, but more smaller ones if that makes sense? If I figure it's too high in moisture, it can sleep in a pile until next year. I think the bad part about the easy access, is the easy access for all. So whether it's good to burn or not, at least it will be here. BTW, I never measured, but I'm guessing the tree was about 20 or 22" diameter. I couldn't cut straight through, had to bite a few inches on opposite sides before continuing the back cut. A little much for a 16" bar.
Ok, first thing ! Don't get mad at me BUT, WHERE WAS YOUR HARDHAT ????? It's bad enough cutting live healthy timber bald headed . But fire killed. That's just a life changing accident waiting to happen ! Never cut in a burn in the wind ! Finding the already dry trees is basically finding the trees that were already dead when the fire went thru. The blackest ones , really charred were already dead when the fire roared thru. Often we don't get into a burn for a few years so everything is dried out. It sounds like it's a take everything you can now , situation tho. Just be real careful. Be flat Paranoid ! A burn is a very good place for a big enough + powerhead and plenty of bar length !
I'll have a look around, should be a hard hat kickin' somewheres here. I'm used to either cutting live poplar, or stuff on the ground, so hadn't considered branches falling. I do know I'll need to be using a bigger saw next year for the area/tree size.
It's not only limbs coming to visit your noggin unannounced. It's whole tops. I'm sure you have woodpeckers in your area. , They dig out a nest in a snag. It's nice and bone dry in there, then a full crown fire blasts in and eats out a bunch more of what is holding that top in place. Then some wind comes along and weakens that wood. Maybe breaks most of it. Then , along comes a firewood cutter and maybe brushes another tree past it and that may be all it takes to get a 40 foot tall top back at you. My wife will tell anyone that I'm naturally paranoid. I tell her. Being paranoid has very much helped to keep me upright and able to walk after a career falling timber.
