I got my forest service firewood cutting permit the other day and went out foraging for the first time for the 2019 season. I came across a tree that had fallen across the road which the forest service was kind enough to cut up for me into 18” rounds and leave by the roadside. I have burned a little white fir before and used it for kindling and shoulder season wood. Not real high on the BTU scale so I had a dilemma. Look for better wood and work hard or just pull my truck next to the pile and load up. Well I looked at those rounds already cut up and piled by the roadside. Hmmmm....So guess what I did? Guess I got some good shoulder season wood and kindling. Can always start oak with it.
Yeah, I had to use the stair-step method to load them into my truck bed. They were super heavy. One of them I almost couldn’t get in but determination prevailed!
I've only burned one fir tree as it was a yard tree, they normally don't grow here. From the little bit I got out of it it was a bit like hemlock. A little better than our eastern white pine but not by much. I don't mind burning pine at all it just doesn't burn very long so it is lousy choice if you have better choices for over night.
White Fir is close to Alder in BTU's and lots of people around here love it. It is always nice to be putting the finishing touches on a huge stack of White Fir, Alder, Deodar or any "Less than Perfect" wood while your Buddy is still looking for his first score of Oak or Medrone!
Once dry, perfect for this time of year on a cool night or rainy damp day!! Not a lot of heat lights easy.
I’ve burned balsam fir, not sure how similar the two are. Burned hot and quick like pine but glad that I picked it up.
Got it all split and stacked today. Had to utilize the Backwoods Savage Method. Rounds were just too big and heavy to lift so I had to put the splitter into the vertical position and sit on a milk crate. Works great. Much easier on the back!
did they have a nice smell to them Timberdog? Big rounds are a pain as i know, but they do make a lot of splits!
What is the ratio of hardwood vs softwood in your area Timberdog ? Looked like mostly conifers in your pic.
I am guessing 10:1 conifer. Only truly hard wood we have is gambel oak. We do have quaking aspen and although it is technically considered a hardwood because it’s deciduous and although it does burn very clean —it burns quick like pine. We do have juniper which is actually pretty “hard” but still coniferous. Pinyon pine is also a conifer but has BTUs of some oaks. Our gamble oak is the best we got out in my neck of the woods but you have to hunt for it. My personal second favorite is Douglass Fir..... Got the white fir split and stacked
I love it when I split and stack a bunch of pitchy Doug Fir and the smell blows all around the yard! I would have grabbed that wood in a heartbeat also!
I can smell it from here. So most of the wood you burn is softwood? I see some of the conifers that are high in btu's based oh the FHC chart. Great reference. I guess when i think of Arizona, i see cactus and desert. Nice looking wood and work Timberdog
I burn quite a bit of white fir, it's plentiful here. Lot's of people turn up their noses, referring to it as pizz fir (it will bleed a lot of water when cut green). I like it just fine, not much pitch and it lights easily. Yes, the btu's are relatively low, but I don't have to drive far to get it. I find that it does not keep, it will start growing white mold quickly. I won't keep it more than one season in the stack. I like the heavy bark plates for a quick fire during shoulder season and in the chiminea on the deck. Love me some Doug fir, second only to Black oak in my area. Doug fir bark makes a very hot barbecue, it's all I use anymore.