Page 39 - Moving the Earth_ The Workbook of Excavation

LAND CLEARING AND CONTROLS

LAND CLEARING AND CONTROLS 1.39

A grapple or clamshell on a power crane is the best machine to feed a stump fire, even if the
stumps are pushed to it by dozers. It can place them properly, stack them high, and avoid pushing
dirt with them.
Stump fires are very hot and may burn for weeks. There is usually very little smoke, and few
sparks.

BURNING BRUSH

A great deal of time and effort are wasted in ineffective attempts to burn brush, and for this reason
proper procedure will be discussed in some detail.
Even green, wet brush and logs will burn vigorously once properly started, but considerable
heat is required to boil off the sap and water, and to ignite the wood. This heat may be obtained
originally from a carefully built fire, or by use of flammable chemicals.
Building a Fire. The fire should be on level ground, or on a hump. If built in a hollow or against
a rock or stump, inward flow of air will be hindered, and brush added to the top of the fire will be
held up away from the heat. All flammable material should be cleared or burned away from
around the site, particularly downwind. Fire-fighting tools should be available.
Figure 1.31 illustrates two ways of starting the fire—andirons and tepee. The “andirons” con-
sist of a pair of small logs, or rocks, or ridges of dirt. Twigs and sticks, preferably dry, are laid
across the andirons. These should be laid in one direction so that they will lie close together, but
should not fit together so well as to prevent air and heat going between them. No leaves or grass
should be included.
This pile may be ignited by burning paper, grass, or leaves under it. The material must be dry,
and must not be packed tightly, as this reduces the oxygen supply and the heat of the flame.
A self-feeding starter may be made by tearing a section of 10 to 30 pages of newspaper into a
strip that will fit easily between the base logs, lying flat. Crumple the top sheet, and light it.
As it burns, the heat will cause the next sheet to curl up and burn. The process repeats for every
sheet, keeping a brisk fire going for long enough to ignite dry logs. No kindling is needed, but of course
small, dry wood starts faster than thick, green pieces, for which the process may have to be repeated.
When the cross sticks start to burn, more and heavier sticks are added, then partly trimmed
branches, and finally, when a good bed of embers and strong flames are present, untrimmed bushes
and branches. It is a good plan to put on a few logs or snags at this time to give the fire staying power.
The tepee is similar in principle. The sticks are piled on end around the kindling. As heavier
pieces are added, the tepee is crushed, but if it is burning well, this will not matter.

FIGURE 1.31 Starting a fire.