Burning a wood pile

I'm going to need to burn a pile of brush, should i dig a pit or just burn on the ground. Never had to do this so don't want a runaway fire.

 

Don't need a pit. Need to place the pile so that there is a large clear area around it. Dirt is, of course, best, but green grass or other low flammability stuff is ok. Flying embers are a threat if it is dry out, don't burn if it is very dry. You should have some water such a garden hose or water can extinguisher available.
If you live in a really dry area you could cover the pile with a tarp and burn it after a rain.

 

Might add that being in Amarillo TX I'd do any burning much further from the building pictured! You don't need to burn it all at once. Get a small safely located fire going that is easy to manage. Add brush as needed. Perhaps one handed. The other hand can hold your beverage of choice No idea where I got this routine...….

 

I used to burn brush all the time. BIG brush piles and the usually sat and dried out for a year or two before I would torch them. Many of them were brush from 10 or more trees with a pile 20' diameter and 10' or more high. Your picture looks like there may be some still green brush in there. If so, it will take a while to get it going and won't rage up much anyway. If it is all dry kindling size brush it can make a pretty big flame. Burn it when the wind is blowing away from the building or not blowing at all. In Ohio, we are supposed to call the county BURN agency to let them know we have a big fire going because people driving by will call 911 and report the fire. If they know you are buring it prevents a truck roll from the local fire dept. It has gotton to be such a rigamaroll in our county, I quit burning and just build "nature piles" and the state forester and county conservation extension agents love it...

 

MAF143's "nature piles" are a great alternative. Animals love brush. This is why I always have to chime in on something like this and recommend that if you DO burn a brush pile, make sure you start the fire only at one end and let it burn toward the other end. Do not start fires all the way around the perimeter of the pile; animals cannot escape the fire! If you just start at one end, they can run. Also, if possible, start at an open side opposite from the side next to the woods. Burn toward the woods. The animals can run into the woods and find new hiding places. Sorry, bigtime animal lover here.

I will add that brush piles in the woods... you probably wouldn't burn them unless there is an open area around it, but it's worth mentioning that brush piles of tops have space here and there and good trees can pop up there, like white oak, and the deer can't/won't get to them to nibble them down before they get established.

 

Chit. If I had to see “nature piles” like that, the eye sore would set me off.

 

It's usually a good idea to have a water supply handy. Maybe even wet the ground around the perimeter if you have dry grass still. There can be a lot of ignitable dead plant material on the ground this time of year.
Green brush can be a bear to get going and even burn completely sometimes.
I would not burn too close to a building.

 

I'd burn it in safe spot

 

Great way to hunt marten in the winter time with a shotgun.
You just need to flush them out.

 

LOL, I can't see any of the piles from the house and yes, they would have driven my Dad absolutely bonkers... He had weekly fires cleaning up brush from around his yard.

Our largest pile is in the field down front and is huge, 15' high and close to 30' diameter. One of our sons used to have bonfires there with his buddies, and I haven't burned it since he left in 2010. I've been adding brush to it for years and we call it the "Sasquatch Hut" ever since a crazy lady from Columbus pulled in our driveway while I was mowing the field and waved me over to her car. I could tell it was very urgent. She said she drives by our place every couple of weeks for work and swore she saw Sasquatch coming and going out of that hut. She was very concerned for me and my family living so close and that they can be very dangerous... She never took her eyes off the pile the whole time she was talking to me so she didn't notice my rolling eyes and the attempts to keep from doubing over from laughing... She was SERIOUS... and afraid to have even pulled in our drive, but she felt that she just had to warn us.

I thanked her and assured her I would take precautions to protect us up at the house.

The only critters I ever get to see are groundhogs (targets), birds, and a few litters of fox that were raised in that pile.

 

So that's where Bigfoot is. Way cool!

 

So Unicorn1 what did you end up doin? Burning brush or making some critters a new home?