It'a been a quiet wildfire season so far, but.........

It’s been a fairly quite late fall / winter fire season nationally with the recent big fire near Reno reminding us all just how quickly things can change. The Reno wildfire was yet another accidental fire this one caused by improperly discarded ashes.

An "extremely remorseful" man admitted Friday that he accidentally started a brush fire that destroyed 29 homes near Reno when he improperly discarded fireplace ashes at his home south of town, authorities said.

"He came forward on his own accord," Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez said about the man. The blaze, fueled by 82 mph wind gusts, burned nearly 3,200 acres and forced the evacuation of up to 10,000 people Thursday.

I will repost some info from earlier posts hoping to give you information on how to properly dispose of ashes and the dangers in not doing so. Please pass this information on to anyone you know who burns wood for heating and cooking in their homes or businesses.

Hot Ash Safety Fact Sheet

Wood ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days. Forestry officials caution homeowners about this serious threat to the safety of their families and homes. Improper ash disposals have already destroyed homes, outbuildings and valuable resources this fall. Please be careful!!!

 What can you do to prevent forest and field fires from igniting from hot wood ash?

•Dispose of wood ashes in a metal container that can be tightly closed, douse with water, place the closed container outside your home away from combustible materials and leave in the container for several days before disposing of them. (Did you know that many people dispose of their wood stove ashes in garbage containers that are often plastic or even paper bags? It doesn’t take much heat for these types of containers to burst into flames.)

•Teach other family members about the dangers associated with hot ash disposal

•Be careful with ashes around areas you might not consider as combustible during wetter times such as mulched flowerbeds and lawns that are drought stricken.

•Do Not place hot ashes in a dumpster where there are certainly other combustible materials

•Do Not dispose of ashes in a paper, plastic or cardboard containers

•Do Not assume the ashes are cold and pour them onto the ground (even into a hole) where leaves can blow onto them or the wind can stir up sparks.

 A cord of wood produces about 50 pounds of ashes, which can be used for many other purposes.

 Once you are POSITIVE your container of ashes is “Cold”, place in a pile and prepare your container for the next load.

 Ashes from different types of wood vary slightly in their chemical composition, but all kinds of ashes can be used as fertilizer. They produce 50 to 70% lime and contain phosphorus, potash and trace elements. Gardeners can raise the soil’s pH by applying wood ash to their soil. To avoid altering the pH too drastically, take a soil sample prior to the addition of wood ashes to your garden spot. If the soil pH value is below 5.8 and there is a lime recommendation on the soil test, then place a dusting of wood ash on the surface and work it into the soil.

 Ashes may be used as a repellent. Sprinkle ashes beside row crops and on paths through the garden to discourage slugs and snails.

Stay Warm AND SAFE

As we here in Virginia prepare to go into our "Spring Wildfire Season" I will hopefully be back to posting more regularly interesting safety information and information on current wildfire activity in Virginia and elsewhere.

A Snowy Message From Smokey



Smokey want to say that he has enjoyed the snow but enough is enough! His friends in the NE have had their share and then some this year. However not everyone is in the same boat. I just read a story out of FL making reference that they are the only southern state with out any snow cover. With the cold and freezing temperatures the fine fuels have been killed back and are providing a lot of fine flashy fuels which is a concern to firefighters.

Smokey would also like to remind you all about a message he posted in the fall about "Hot Ashes".  Wood stove and fireplace ashes remain HOT for several days after removing them. Please be very careful and dispose of them in a proper metal container. Also be extra cautious when heating with wood.

Tip Of The Blog

Wood Stove Safety

If you're among the thousands who have succumbed to the lure of the wood burning stove,

keep in mind that the return to the "good old days" of wood stove heating can have some

old-fashioned drawbacks.

Fire hazard

The resurgence of the wood burner as a supplementary source of heat has led to an

alarming—and growing—number of fires traceable to careless installation or misuse.

The purpose of this pamphlet is to help bridge a generation gap in wood stove knowledge

by providing some basic information on the selection, installation, use and maintenance of

solid fuel heating equipment.

Here are some principal do's and don'ts:

is one of them.

DO

including floors, walls and ceilings.

—make sure there is enough clearance between the stove and combustible materials,

DO

—place the stove on a noncombustible, fire resistant base.

DO

—have a mason or other competent person inspect the chimney.

DO

—burn only dry, well-seasoned wood.

DO

—consider opening a window a crack for ventilation.

DO

—dispose of ashes in a closed metal container outside the house.

DON’T

alternative.

—extend the stove pipe through a wall or ceiling unless there is no possible

DON’T

sealed off.

—connect a wood stove to a fireplace chimney unless the fireplace has been

DON’T

fuels.

—connect a wood stove to a chimney serving another appliance burning other

DON’T

—start a stove fire with flammable fluids, such as gasoline.

DON’T

—burn trash in a stove; doing so can start a chimney fire.DON’T

—let a wood fire burn unattended or overnight.

A Great short Video on Firewise.

This takes a few moments (about a min) to load but is well worth the wait.

Check out http://www.firewisevirginia.org/ for lots more info that will help you become more Firewise! The link below akes you to the simple online test talked about in the video above. Thanks to WDBJ 7 in Roanoke and Chris Thomsen with the VA Dept Of Forestry.

http://www.dof.virginia.gov/fire/firewise-hazard-test.shtml

Watch Your Ash!

This morning it was clear and cool, with all this fur I sure like the cooler weather. But with the cooler weater I know some of you will be starting to crank up your wood stoves and fireplaces. Hot ashes are a significant cause of house and wildfires from fall to early spring. Just last year someones beautiful home burned to the ground and also set the woods on fire all due to someone being to lazy to dispose of the hot ashes properly. They just dumped what they thought were cold ashes in the flower bed adjacent to the homes wooden deck. The deck caught fire, the house was next to go and then the woods were set on fire. No one was hurt but the home was a total loss.

Here is todays Tip of The Blog
Hot Ash Safety Fact Sheet
Wood ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days. Forestry officials caution homeowners about this serious threat to the safety of their families and homes. Improper ash disposals have already destroyed homes, outbuildings and valuable resources this fall. Please be careful!!!
What can you do to prevent forest and field fires from igniting from hot wood ash?

• Dispose of wood ashes in a metal container that can be tightly closed, douse with water, place the closed container outside your home away from combustible materials and leave in the container for several days before disposing of them. (Did you know that many people dispose of their wood stove ashes in garbage containers that are often plastic or even paper bags? It doesn’t take much heat for these types of containers to burst into flames.)
• Teach other family members about the dangers associated with hot ash disposal
• Be careful with ashes around areas you might not consider as combustible during wetter times such as mulched flowerbeds and lawns that are drought stricken.
• Do Not place hot ashes in a dumpster where there are certainly other combustible materials
• Do Not dispose of ashes in a paper, plastic or cardboard containers
• Do Not assume the ashes are cold and pour them onto the ground (even into a hole) where leaves can blow onto them or the wind can stir up sparks.

A cord of wood produces about 50 pounds of ashes, which can be used for many other purposes.
Once you are POSITIVE your container of ashes is “Cold”, place in a pile and prepare your container for the next load.
Ashes from different types of wood vary slightly in their chemical composition, but all kinds of ashes can be used as fertilizer. They produce 50 to 70% lime and contain phosphorus, potash and trace elements. Gardeners can raise the soil’s pH by applying wood ash to their soil. To avoid altering the pH too drastically, take a soil sample prior to the addition of wood ashes to your garden spot. If the soil pH value is below 5.8 and there is a lime recommendation on the soil test, then place a dusting of wood ash on the surface and work it into the soil.
Ashes may be used as a repellent. Sprinkle ashes beside row crops and on paths through the garden to discourage slugs and snails.

Stay Warm AND SAFE
Smokey B