personal burning barrel for burnable stuff vanishing

[unitivity]

it seems that is is ok to burn anything in some sort of safe container, is this true.

Like a small barrel with wire mesh over the top?

[tamarakay]

There are rules for safe burning, so many feet from structures, ground cover or clearance etc. from our experience you also need a guard or a way to lock your mesh, else neighbors throw trash in when you go to sleep and you are left with smoldering wood chips when you try to pack up.

[Elliot]

There are also three or four large communal burn platforms around Esplanade.
But you must not burn just anything. No plastic or painted wood or anything else that can generate toxic smoke. Only clean wood and paper.

[unitivity]

thank you fellow flamers - how about a fire at yuor camp for hot dogs or say the kind that is portable like for rv camp fire?

i saw a picture of a barrel with words cut into it with a fire in it very artistic fire barrel, but it would be great to sit around a fire

and blow the rv up. unit

[trilobyte]

Actually, Elliot, last year they significantly reduced what they allow in the public burn platforms. Now it's just untreated/unpainted wood.

Here are the guidelines that would apply for a personal/camp burn barrel.

[Elliot]

Actually, Elliot, last year they significantly reduced what they allow in the public burn platforms. Now it's just untreated/unpainted wood.
....

Ah, no paper. That makes sense, since burning paper could easily blow out of the big open platforms.
And I should have mentioned that pressure treated wood is also banned along with painted. Thanks, Trilo!

[chuckularone]

...And I should have mentioned that pressure treated wood is also banned along with painted. Thanks, Trilo!

No pressure treated wood!!? But I love the smell of Chromated copper arsenate!

[digital]

There are also three or four large communal burn platforms around Esplanade.
But you must not burn just anything. No plastic or painted wood or anything else that can generate toxic smoke. Only clean wood and paper.

I lit a number of public burn platforms throughout the week and it was very sad to see how much trash was in them. Not burnable trash -- general camp waste stuffed into plastic bags and thrown in.

Please don't do this.

[*Kat*]

We've had a BBQ grill / fire pit at our camp for several years. Apart from the obvious (distance from structures, burning only untreated wood / cardboard / paper, etc.) we do this:

- the fire pit is small and fairly contained so the fire does to get out of hand, we also keep a fire extinguisher close by
- it's raised off the playa floor so we don't leave any burn marks
- we've got a screen to put over it to prevent embers from flying into the air and to keep the ashes from flying about
- whoever starts the fire is in charge of it until it's burned out - unless somebody else agrees to take over
Once the ashes are cool we collect it immediately into a trash bag so it does not get blown about.
We also got a playa broom to scoop up fine matter from the ground (one of the best anti-moop ideas ever!).

So far it's never left a trace.

[FossaFerox]

Google has failed me. What exactly is a playa broom? My camp got green last year, but I'm always looking for ways to be more thorough, especially if it's more efficient.

[*Kat*]

Oh sorry, I'm so used to the word by now I did not think it might seem like something special. It's just a regular broom, something like this:



We use it to scoop up all kinds of small matter that happens to get blown into our camp (of course not for stuff that's big enough to be picked up easily). Just make sure to get a sturdy kind that does not shed.

[*Kat*]

...and congratulations on getting green! We've always gotten green too (as far as I know) and we do intend to keep it that way.

[fernley1]

"Playa broom", good idea.
I saw a few burn barrels last year. I really liked the 55 gallon ones that were cut out to make pictures or words.

[FossaFerox]

I was always worried the carved barrels might throw ash or embers, especially when people load them up with cardboard.

As for the broom, wouldn't that have a tendency to kick up dust and potentially bury small bits of moop?

[unjonharley]

Oh sorry, I'm so used to the word by now I did not think it might seem like something special. It's just a regular broom, something like this:



We use it to scoop up all kinds of small matter that happens to get blown into our camp (of course not for stuff that's big enough to be picked up easily). Just make sure to get a sturdy kind that does not shed.

that is called a "corn broom"




















'

















'

[The Rod]

We had a burn barrel in our camp last year. Along with the advice and guidelines above be prepared to fend people off on Sunday/Monday who want to burn their trash/paper/cardboard in your barrel. We had several people walk up and without asking start shoving inordinate amounts of boxes in our barrel, making a huge mess, throwing smoldering bits everywhere and overflowing our barrel with ashes. We ended up having someone stationed next to the barrel for guarding duties.

[unjonharley]

more information needs stressed about removing store packaging before leaving for the playa.. Pack less in. Pack less out

[Dr. Pyro]

more information needs stressed about removing store packaging before leaving for the playa.. Pack less in. Pack less out

I couldn't agree more, but unfortunately a bunch of useless stoned brain-dead hippies who would rather get wasted than positively contribute to Black Rock City aren't going to give a shit about "removing store packaging" because that means more work for them and work is something they simply abhor.

[Ugly Dougly]

i saw a picture of a ...

Oh, you will soon see more than pictures!
Generally speaking, the burn barrel is not for disposing of stuff that you'd rather not bring back. Burning plastic is frowned on (and it fucking stinks!)... but if you have a draft card or something that accidentally find its way into the flames, I didn't know about it.