How To Become An Arsonist!

By Uncle Hans

When Renee and I moved in to the house in July 2009, we started a big pile of branches and burnable junk as we cleaned up the house and property.  It represented a lot of work.  Today is the day we put a match to it.  Here is the arsonist.  With her are combustion aids and accelerants.  (cardboard and diesel fuel)

...........Diesel is the perfect accelerant for a fire.  it is not very volatile.  In other words, it does not evaporate into the air very quickly.  In a fire, it is the evaporated fumes which catch on fire quickly.  Like explosively quickly.  Like gasoline.  It is nearly impossible to start a fire with gasoline safely.  Once you put it on, it evaporates so quickly the by the time you get the match lit and near it, the fumes explode.  Diesel is not like that.  It is very safe.  You can pour it directly on an open flame and not have an explosion.  Here I am preparing the cardboard  "starter box"............

.......We took off some branches, placed the box as deep inside the pile as we could, and replaced the branches.  Here I am adding some diesel around the box...........

.........here the box has just been lit................

.....here a few moments later.........

.....here a while later...............

...............and here an hour later as we pull the edges into the flames in the middle.  It is best, of course, to burn in the winter when there is snow cover to prevent spread.  We start a new pile in the spring.

       So, you see, with some consideration for safety, ANYONE can become an arsonist!

By Uncle Hans