Saw a sad thing today

[jatoxico]

This is getting to be a long winter.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Let's keep it civil. From what I can tell without referring articles or fire reporst this could be electrical or gas heaters just as well as wood heaters. The point being that you need to have your house setup safely to heat, including your fall back solutions. Deferred maintenance and jerry-rigged solutions are apt to bite you when the demand for heat is high.

Seemed to me like OP presumed the fire was caused by burning green wood without having all the facts. I'm no defender of burning green wood but while catastrophic chimney fires do happen, they are pretty rare in these parts.

 

[red oak]

Agreed....I learned about green wood vs. properly seasoned. I don't know why cutting wood in October is bad. Don't want to guess, I want to know. If no one wants to tell me, so be it. Peace.

Cutting wood in October is not bad, as long as you're not burning it that winter. Hardwoods here in the East can take a couple of years in the stack to season properly, in some climates oak can take 3 years.

 

[jatoxico]

Agreed....I learned about green wood vs. properly seasoned. I don't know why cutting wood in October is bad. Don't want to guess, I want to know. If no one wants to tell me, so be it. Peace.

Head to the wood shed grasshopper

 

[begreen]

Cutting wood in October is fine, if cutting or one to two years later wood supply.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

When I set this place on fire, it was in the kitchen. I was down stairs tending the stove when the pan caught fire. And the cabinets.

You were down stairs when the kitchen cabinets caught on fire? Can you please use the correct terminology, you really confused me.....I hope you get what I'm trying to say BB, not ragging on you this time, maybe next time....
With all due respect to all that posted, Dennis was just reporting on something really bad that he saw and wanted to help people out by making them aware, the only negativity from his post is what that poor family going to do now, they are the ones hurting while we all type in our wood warm houses.....I don't get some people.....

 

[BrotherBart]

I was downstairs. In the basement.

 

[Flamestead]

Take from one of the reports:

Sunday morning’s blaze is the sixth fire in Vermont in February to which the Red Cross has responded, the organization said in a news release.

“After a January that saw 36 responses by Red Cross volunteers in 31 days, we had all held out hope that February would be quieter for our volunteers, first responders and, most importantly, impacted residents,” Vermont and New Hampshire Upper Valley Red Cross spokesman Doug Bishop said . “Regrettably, it appears we are in for more of the same this month.”

The general sense being expressed by the media in this and other articles is that the extended cold, after a number of more mild winters, is resulting in an unfortunate number of incidents, likely caused by people pushing the limits of their systems while in search of heat.

I was a mile from my house when I first saw the smoke from the neighbor's house fire, and it was in direct line with my house. I had just left the house 5 minutes prior and had passed the first fire engine on my way to the store, so I was sure it wasn't my house. But it made me think of the types of things begreen mentions. From where I'm sitting now I've seen the flames from three neighbors' structure fires (two houses, one garage, all total losses (one was determined to be a bad thimble connection, two were likely electrical)). It makes me think of my 40-yr-old oil furnace, of our exchange student who opened the ash pan door by accident with a full load of wood in the stove, and of my electric heater in the cattle barn. These fires are so devastating; it makes me think of where my systems weaknesses are, and where I should be doing better.

 

[begreen]

Exactly right and why I tell folks to exercise instead of ignoring their main heating system. If you need it then don't go being penny wise and pound foolish. Keep all heating systems in good and safe operating condition.

 

[pen]

These fires are so devastating; it makes me think of where my systems weaknesses are, and where I should be doing better.

Exactly. We are inviting fire into our homes. Sometimes, doing so for a long period of time without incident can cause complacency,,,, even in non-solid-fuel burning appliances. It's smart to be vigilant.

That said, unless a situation is known for certain as to the cause, jumping to conclusions is not what this room is for.

pen

 

[alforit]

On my way into town I came across a bunch of fire trucks and the smoldering remains of what used to be a nice old farm house. It appears they lost everything and that is what I was told by others. We'll no doubt be checking to see if they need help.

However, these people every year cut their wood in October or November and then again sometime in mid-winter. Sad. But they were probably following bad advice from folks who know or knew that Grandpa did it that way.

If you are going to be burning wood, get the wood ahead of time and let it dry first so you won't be in the same situation.

Oh, I also saw 3 other places that were unloading fresh cut firewood and putting it into their basements. Guess what problems they will be having...

So please, please, especially for the new people just getting started with the wood stove. Put as much thought into the fuel as you do the stove and if anything, give your wood even more time to dry than you think necessary. In addition, we would welcome you to also visit The Wood Shed forum here on hearth.com for more information about the fuel.

Do we know what caused that fire ? It might have been something completely unrelated to the wood stove. If that was my house I would not want someone posting about it especially without the facts and then adding their take on it.............And that wood you see them cutting , are you sure that they are using it in the same season ?...........Just sayin

 

[pen]

Do we know what caused that fire ? It might have been something completely unrelated to the wood stove. If that was my house I would not want someone posting about it especially without the facts and then adding their take on it.............And that wood you see them cutting , are you sure that they are using it in the same season ?...........Just sayin

Agreed.

The point to be made that bad burning practices (unseasoned wood) is one that is wise to avoid is stated clearly already in this thread, and in thousands of others on the site; tells me that the point is made.

Until that's proven the cause of this situation, I see no reason for further conversation,,,, and even then, it's not appropriate, just sad.

Thread closed.

pen