I'm always amazed how long ashes can sit. I burned a bunch of brush outside over Christmas break, the fire was probably 3 ft across and 3 feet high at it's biggest. Most of what I was burning was grass, sticker bushes and honeysuckle vines, with a handful of wood sticks up to 3" diameter thrown in to keep it going. I burned all this on a Wednesday and let the flames die down before going inside (it was safe to leave, there was nothing but dirt for 20' in each direction). I didn't go back out until late Saturday afternoon when it had been rained on all day, and was able to get a fire going by just uncovering the wet ashes on top and tossing some dry sticks on the coals. I always take my ashes from the stove outside immediately and put them in a steel can that sits on the driveway.
One thing I'd say is that the biggest danger when you have a brush fire is not usually the ashes. The ashes are a concern if it's windy. The real danger lurks below the surface. If you have any rocks below ground, they will heat up and retain that heat for a longtime. Often they can reignite a fire even with enough water put on to snuff out the ashes.
I place ashes/coals into 5 gallon metal pail with a lid. Then carry to driveway and let sit for about a week until I decide to either use it as ice melt on the driveway (rock) or toss on the garden.
Now that just doesn't make any sense. I bet you're thinking of hot coals/embers. For example, think of how hot firepit rocks get/ I have never seen them ignite anything-even when laying matches on them. And what about all the masonry products used in the heating and venting field? Firebrick inside the stoves/inserts; masonry chimneys?
Fire pit rocks give off their heat faster than rocks under ground. It also depends on the length and degree of the brush burn. A simple pit fire is not going to produce the prolonged heat of a large brush pile fire.
At the risk of derailing this thread, I just can't see what you describe happening at all. Rocks in the ground, underneath a fire? The only risk of re-ignition would be the coals/embers in the ashes. I would also think the the majority of the heat from said brush/burn pile fire would not penetrate the ground deep enough to warm rocks to the point where it would ignite combustibles. I would even go as far as to say that once the ashes/embers/coals are removed completely from the ground area, go ahead and lay a piece of paper or tissue on the ground and wait for it to ignite. All this submitted respectfully, boettg33.
This just floors me especially considering that most of the scented candles only need to be heated not actually burned to do their deal. Crazy.
This week there was a small antique business to the south of me that burnt because some one didn't put out some stupid scented candle when they closed up. Lucky it didn't take out a whole city block. I absolutely HATE them candles. Funny thing is, I can have old Black Sabbath just a cookin away with the hubs of hell burnin in it and not think twice about it but if my wife has a candle burning in the kitchen or bathroom I go ballistic.
Wife got me 1 of them turn tables for Christmas so I can plug it into the putter and convert my old vinyl to digital. Master of Reality and Vol.4 is first on the list. If they still play that is. Got all the Sab albums but I bought them when they first came out wwwwaaaayyy back then and they seen some playin. BTW, Black Sabbath is my name for the Oslo 500.
