I have a very large and tall brush pile next to the property line that I thought I would try to burn today. It has a lot of dead cedar in it.

What are the chances of getting a fire to take in this pizzing rain?

I was hoping to get it lit right before it started raining but that didn't happen.

Burned a smaller one yesterday that was the towering inferno for a while there.

They make this stuff called diesel . . .

Better watch out for raccoons or other small animals. We burned a brush pile once and a family of raccoons started coming out and darn near started the whole place on fire. Just saying...

Make sure and have the shotgun ready

I am almost certain they are in there. Corn stealers only have a short distance to cover to get to the feeder.

It will catch with diesel, may take a few pours but it will catch...

This, and light the downwind side so it burns into the wind. I should be at my place burning, but duty calls.

When it’s soaking wet I light the upwind end so the wind moves the fire through it. Diesel and let it soak in for a few minutes and then a big propane burner torch to light it.

You can burn almost anything with enough diesel

But using gasoline is more fun

Gasoline burns too fast to light wet wood. You could douse it in diesel, and then top that with gasoline though. If you do that, light it by tossing a burning stick in it. Don't be too close when lighting it. Don't ask me how I know this.

About 40 years ago, a neighbor burnt a brush pile during a pretty good wind. It got out of control and went on my place. It was winter so it got a lot of dead leaves, small branches, cedars, and a couple of decent oaks. Most of the oaks came back but I had to cut down the cedars.

Better than that is a Pear Burner.

The Bible propane wand, with a hose connected to a 20 pound tank. It will get the wettest of brush piles going. I stopped with the diesel years ago.

Lots of people have gone to the hospital because of gasoline on a brush pile.

I use old gas on the dumps, but I use the thrown (diesel-soaked rag) torch stick method, as suggested. And then I leave the area. I can hear other pockets of gas going off from my front porch. The story of a distant relative burning alive, way before I was born, has given me a healthy respect for that fluid.

Took a lot of convincing but I think I got it going.

It’s going to be a slow burn.

We have always used the forestry torch fuel mix ratio is 60% diesel to 40% gasoline for drip torches. Normally when doing brush piles, my dad just used 4 to1 diesel to gas. It lights quickly but not explosive like gas and the diesel keeps it going long enough to set the piles on fire.

I lit one in 2023 and there was nothing in it, but 30 mins in, a coon came screeching around, pizzed off that I was burning his home. He stood around giving me the business from about 100yds out for a good 10 minutes.

We have a junk pile we need to burn and it’s full of rattlesnakes. I wonder if they would come slithering out on fire or just pissed off at the world? Either way I’ll be sitting around with my shotgun ready

Yep, diesel and gas to get it started. (use propane torch to light)

Leaf blower to get one area red hot, then can let it go on its own.

I've got a dozen brush piles I need to burn this coming weekend.

Time to get the tractor out and keep pushing it together.

I used to use a 50/50 mix of diesel and gas. Now I just plan ahead and cover part of it with a tarp. Burned a big one this way just yesterday. It started right up.

+1 on the pear burner. I like to push a portion of the pile to the side to get it started then as the little pile burns down I'll feed it by pushing more to it. Too much at stake to let one get away from me. Plus I only burn when it is raining, has rained or snowed, light to no wind. A big dew is s great help as well.

I burn a lot of brush piles when clearing pastures of mesquite and have found that instead of pouring diesel all over, i just pour in 1 or 2 upwind spots. When spread around, especially on damp debris, the diesel burns off too quickly. A good puddle will burn long enough to get a smaller section to take and will eventually move into the larger section with the help of the wind.

I haven't had a raccoon come out of one, yet, but lots of rats and a couple of snakes. I usually have a shovel or hoe handy to move pile, but also handy for varmint eradication.

Lots of good ideas on here. My site work contractor swears by this stuff for burn piles:

>>EZ Lite

They're made in Seguin. The weather hasn't been right, when I'm there, for me to test, but they say just to put it under some cedar. They've burned for me when it was raining a little too hard I guess, and the results were less than satisfactory.