Spring is a wonderful time for new beginnings, new growth, and nature awakening with new possibilities. It is also the time for spring cleanups, and people working in their yards to remove debris collected over the fall and winter. A lot of folks like to burn their debris during their cleanup time, but fires can easily get out of control if one doesn’t know how to burn safely, or understands how the dangers of debris burning can quickly outweigh the benefits.
Recently, over one hundred and fifty wildfires claimed the state of Georgia in a single weekend. The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) reports that, “Debris burning is Georgia’s #1 cause of wildfire. Debris burning accounts for over 50 percent of all wildfires in the state. Debris burning is categorized into different types:
- Yard leaf piles – the most common cause of wildfires
- Agricultural
- Forestry site preparation
- Construction land clearing
- Escaped prescribed burning
Some outdoor burning requires a burn permit and/or notification. The burning of household garbage is prohibited and not permitted by GFC,”.
Furthermore, Public Relations Director for the GFC, Wendy Burnett, says the main factor for these fires is the (dry) weather.
Debris burning is the act of intentionally setting fire during yard maintenance, burning natural items, including things like small limbs/sticks, leaf piles, grass clippings, or shrub trimmings.
For example, when my ex-husband and I were young homeowners, we decided to burn our debris of leaves and fallen branches from the many trees we had on our property. While this is legal in our area, what we failed to realize, because we live on a main road, and we were burning a large pile in the front yard, smoke quickly became a hazard as it covered the road so much that drivers could not see the road. Thus, the fire department came by, and because we were new to the area, they gave us a warning and not a ticket. We never did that again!
How to safely burn debris
Growing up in a camping and exploring family, I learned at a very young age the dangers of fires and how to safely burn. However, that did not stop me from becoming a little firebug. Where I grew up, there was an old apple orchard next to our neighborhood where we kids would play. We built forts, ate the rotten apples against our parents’ wishes, and had campfires with any debris we found lying around.
We did not know how to burn debris safely and ended up probably breathing in toxic chemicals as a result. We did not know then, but learned immediately why burning plastic was a bad idea. Plus, it smelled horrible!
According to the beloved and iconic Smokey the Bear, here is a list of ways to safely burn debris in your backyard:
“Check the conditions. Don’t burn when it’s windy or when vegetation is very dry. Check local regulations. In your area, a permit may be required.
Burn this, not that. You can burn dry, natural vegetation, grown on the property, unless prohibited by local ordinances. Household trash, plastic or tires are not good to burn and are illegal to burn in some areas. Check your local ordinances. Look up.
Choose a safe burning site away from powerlines, overhanging limbs, buildings, vehicles, and equipment. You’ll need at least three times the height of the pile of vertical clearance.
Look around. The site should be surrounded by gravel or mineral soil (dirt) at least 10 feet in all directions. Keep the surroundings watered down during the burn and have a shovel close by.
Prepare your pile. Keep your piles small and manageable. Add additional debris as the fire burns down. If using a burn barrel, make sure it’s made entirely of metal, properly equipped (at least three evenly-spaced, three-inch, screened vents and metal top screen) and in good condition,”.
Types of fires
As a camping veteran, I have camped in state parks, national forests, and private, resort-type campgrounds. All of these camping experiences have their own rules and regulations on campfires. In State Parks, they have designated fire rings at each campsite.
The two Michigan National Forests do not have fire rings, as you dig your pit to burn in. When my cousins and I were in our twenties, we had an annual camping trip during the Fourth of July weekend.
Being young with twenty-five or more people, of course, we would dig enormous pits and have humongous bonfires! Put it this way, the guys would grab downed trees out of the forest, and because the pit was so large, all they had to do was place the dead trees in the pit without having to cut them into smaller logs. We would burn teepee fires, criss-cross/log cabin, and long fires.
Here are some other types of campfires suggested by the Discovery Channel:
“Platform/Upside-Down Fire
How to make it: This fire is also nicknamed the “upside down fire” because your largest logs are used as the base and the small pieces of wood that make a teepee go at the top. Lay two or three of the largest logs down horizontally and then place smaller logs vertically on top. Continue this until you’re ready to put your small teepee of kindling on top. Then light the fire and let it burn down until you’ve got glowing wood coals.
Star
How to make it: Create a small teepee with sticks and kindling, then lay out four to six logs around it, each with one end barely touching the teepee and the other facing out — you’ll want to create a sort of wood asterisk. Then light the teepee and adjust the logs as it burns to ensure that every log is slowly consumed by flame.
Lean-To
How to make it: Place one big log down as the windbreaker, then lean smaller firewood on it perpendicularly. You’ll build your mini teepee beneath the lean-to, which will protect it from the elements.
Swedish Fire
How to make it: Find the thickest log available and place it upright like a drum. Hold it vertically in the campfire ring and make chainsaw cuts beginning at the top, as if you were cutting a pie into four wedges. Careful — you want to keep six inches from the base of the log uncut; if you cut it all the way to the bottom, you’ll have to start over. Then put kindling in the center and between the wedges, light the fire, and you’re good to go.
Keyhole
Named after its keyhole shape, this fire gives you the best of both worlds. On one end, you’ve got the main fire to keep you warm, and on the other, you’ve got hot coals that are perfect for cooking.
How to make it: Start by marking out a keyhole shape in the dirt with stones, creating a circle at least 2 feet (61 centimeters) in diameter attached to a rectangle big enough to accommodate the cookware you want to use. Next, create your favorite fire in the main ring — a teepee or log cabin works well here. Light the fire about an hour before you plan to cook so it has time to create the coals you need. Rake those coals into the rectangle section as they become available, then place your cookware on top and get cooking!,”
What is debris burning?
In conclusion, whether you are burning debris in the spring or having a campfire, safe burning must be the top priority. As Smokey the Bear would say, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires!”